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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Perpetual Curate + +Author: Mrs [Margaret] Oliphant + +Release Date: February 5, 2009 [EBook #28006] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PERPETUAL CURATE *** + + + + +Produced by Delphine Lettau and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<hr class="full" /> + + +<h2><i>Chronicles of Carlingford.</i></h2> +<p> </p> + +<h1>THE PERPETUAL CURATE</h1> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>MRS OLIPHANT</h2> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<p class="noindent"> +<i>ALLA PADRONA MIA;<br /><br /> + +ED A TE, SORELLA CARISSIMA!<br /><br /> + +CONSOLATRICI GENTILLISSIME<br /><br /> + +DELLA DESOLATA.</i> +</p> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> +<p> </p> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> +<p> </p> + +<table style="margin: 0 auto" cellpadding="0" summary="CONTENTS"> + +<tr><td valign="top"></td> <td><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIX">CHAPTER XXIX.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXX">CHAPTER XXX.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXI">CHAPTER XXXI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXII">CHAPTER XXXII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIII">CHAPTER XXXIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIV">CHAPTER XXXIV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXV">CHAPTER XXXV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXVI">CHAPTER XXXVI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXVII">CHAPTER XXXVII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXVIII">CHAPTER XXXVIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIX">CHAPTER XXXIX.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XL">CHAPTER XL.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XLI">CHAPTER XLI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XLII">CHAPTER XLII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XLIII">CHAPTER XLIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XLIV">CHAPTER XLIV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XLV">CHAPTER XLV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XLVI">CHAPTER XLVI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XLVII">CHAPTER XLVII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td valign="top"></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_XLVIII">CHAPTER XLVIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> + +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h3> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class="smallcaps">Carlingford</span> is, as is well known, essentially a quiet +place. There is no trade in the town, properly so called. +To be sure, there are two or three small counting-houses +at the other end of George Street, in that ambitious pile +called Gresham Chambers; but the owners of these places +of business live, as a general rule, in villas, either detached +or semi-detached, in the North-end, the new +quarter, which, as everybody knows, is a region totally +unrepresented in society. In Carlingford proper there is +no trade, no manufactures, no anything in particular, +except very pleasant parties and a superior class of +people—a very superior class of people, indeed, to anything +one expects to meet with in a country town, which is +not even a county town, nor the seat of any particular +interest. It is the boast of the place that it has no particular +interest—not even a public school: for no reason in the +world but because they like it, have so many nice people +collected together in those pretty houses in Grange Lane—which +is, of course, a very much higher tribute to the town +than if any special inducement had led them there. But in +every community some centre of life is necessary. This +point, round which everything circles, is, in Carlingford, +found in the clergy. They are the administrators of the +commonwealth, the only people who have defined and +compulsory duties to give a sharp outline to life. Somehow +this touch of necessity and business seems needful even +in the most refined society: a man who is obliged to +be somewhere at a certain hour, to do something at a +certain time, and whose public duties are not volunteer +proceedings, but indispensable work, has a certain position +of command among a leisurely and unoccupied community, +not to say that it is a public boon to have some +one whom everybody knows and can talk of. The minister +in Salem Chapel was everything in his little world. That +respectable connection would not have hung together +half so closely but for this perpetual subject of discussion, +criticism, and patronage; and, to compare great things with +small, society in Carlingford recognised in some degree +the same human want. An enterprising or non-enterprising +rector made all the difference in the world in Grange +Lane; and in the absence of a rector that counted for +anything (and poor Mr Proctor was of no earthly use, as +everybody knows), it followed, as a natural consequence, +that a great deal of the interest and influence of the +position fell into the hands of the Curate of St Roque's.</p> + +<p>But that position was one full of difficulties, as any one +acquainted with the real state of affairs must see in a +moment. Mr Wentworth's circumstances were, on the +whole, as delicate and critical as can be imagined, both as +respected his standing in Carlingford and the place he +held in his own family—not to speak of certain other +personal matters which were still more troublesome and +vexatious. These last of course were of his own bringing +on; for if a young man chooses to fall in love when he has +next to nothing to live upon, trouble is sure to follow. He +had quite enough on his hands otherwise without that +crowning complication. When Mr Wentworth first came to +Carlingford, it was in the days of Mr Bury, the Evangelical +rector—his last days, when he had no longer his old +vigour, and was very glad of "assistance," as he said, in +his public and parish work. Mr Bury had a friendship of +old standing with the Miss Wentworths of Skelmersdale, +Mr Francis Wentworth's aunts; and it was a long time +before the old Rector's eyes were opened to the astounding +fact, that the nephew of these precious and chosen +women held "views" of the most dangerous complexion, +and indeed was as near Rome as a strong and lofty +conviction of the really superior catholicity of the Anglican +Church would permit him to be. Before he found this out, +Mr Bury, who had unlimited confidence in preaching and +improving talk, had done all he could to get the young +man to "work," as the good Rector called it, and had +voluntarily placed all that difficult district about the canal +under the charge of the Curate of St Roque's. It is said +that the horror with which, after having just written to +Miss Leonora Wentworth to inform her what "a great +work" his young friend was doing among the bargemen, +Mr Bury was seized upon entering St Roque's itself for the +first time after the consecration, when the young priest +had arranged everything his own way, had a very bad +effect on his health, and hastened his end. And it is indeed +a fact that he died soon after, before he had time to issue +the interdict he intended against Mr Wentworth's further +exertions in the parish of Carlingford. Then came Mr +Proctor, who came into the town as if he had dropped from +the skies, and knew no more about managing a parish than +a baby; and under his exceptional incumbency Mr Wentworth +became more than ever necessary to the peace of +the community. Now a new <i>régime</i> had been inaugurated. +Mr Morgan, a man whom Miss Wodehouse described as +"in the prime of life," newly married, with a wife also in +the prime of life, who had waited for him ten years, and all +that time had been under training for her future duties—two +fresh, new, active, clergymanly intellects, entirely +open to the affairs of the town, and intent upon general +reformation and sound management—had just come into +possession. The new Rector was making a great stir all +about him, as was natural to a new man; and it seemed, on +the whole, a highly doubtful business whether he and Mr +Wentworth would find Carlingford big enough to hold +them both.</p> + +<p>"We could not have expected to begin quite without +difficulties," said Mrs Morgan, as she and her husband +discussed the question in the drawing-room of the Rectory. +It was a pretty drawing-room, though Mr Proctor's +taste was not quite in accordance with the principles of the +new incumbent's wife: however, as the furniture was all new, +and as the former rector had no further need for it, it was +of course, much the best and most economical arrangement +to take it as it stood—though the bouquets on the +carpet were a grievance which nothing but her high +Christian principles could have carried Mrs Morgan +through. She looked round as she spoke, and gave an +almost imperceptible shake of her head: she, too, had her +share of disagreeables. "It would not look like Christ's +work, dear," said the clergyman's wife, "if we had it all +our own way."</p> + +<p>"My dear, I hope I am actuated by higher motives than +a desire to have it all my own way," said the Rector. "I +always felt sure that Proctor would make a mess of any +parish he took in hand, but I did not imagine he would +have left it to anybody who pleased to work it. You may +imagine what my feelings were to-day, when I came upon +a kind of impromptu chapel in that wretched district near +the canal. I thought it a Little Bethel, you know, of +course; but instead of that, I find young Wentworth goes +there Wednesdays and Fridays to do duty, and that there +is service on Sunday evening, and I can't tell what besides. +It may be done from a good motive—but such a +disregard of all constituted authority," said the Rector, +with involuntary vehemence, "can never, in my opinion, +be attended by good results."</p> + +<p>"Mr Wentworth, did you say?" said Mrs Morgan, upon +whose female soul the Perpetual Curate's good looks and +good manners had not been without a certain softening +effect. "I am so sorry. I don't wonder you are vexed; but +don't you think there must be some mistake, William? Mr +Wentworth is so gentlemanly and nice—and of very good +family, too. I don't think he would choose to set himself in +opposition to the Rector. I think there must be some mistake."</p> + +<p>"It's a very aggravating mistake, at all events," said Mr +Morgan, rising and going to the window. It was, as we +have said, a very pretty drawing-room, and the windows +opened upon as pretty a bit of lawn as you could see, with +one handsome cedar sweeping its dark branches majestically +over delicious greensward; but some people did think +it was too near George Street and the railway. Just at that +moment a puff of delicate white vapour appeared over the +wall, and a sudden express-train, just released from the +cover of the station, sprang with a snort and bound across +the Rector's view, very imperfectly veiled by the lime-trees, +which were thin in their foliage as yet. Mr Morgan +groaned and retreated—out of his first exaltation he had +descended all at once, as people will do after building all +their hopes upon one grand event, into great depression +and vexation, when he found that, after all, this event did +not change the face of existence, but indeed brought new +proofs of mortality in the shape of special annoyances +belonging to itself in its train. "On the whole," said the +Rector, who was subject to fits of disgust with things in +general, "I am tempted to think it was a mistake coming to +Carlingford; the drawbacks quite overbalance the advantages. +I did hesitate, I remember—it must have been my +better angel: that is, my dear," he continued, recollecting +himself, "I would have hesitated had it not been for you."</p> + +<p>Here there ensued a little pause. Mrs Morgan was not +so young as she had been ten years ago, all which time she +had waited patiently for the Fellow of All-Souls, and +naturally these ten years and the patience had not improved +her looks. There was a redness on her countenance +nowadays which was not exactly bloom; and it stretched +across her cheeks, and over the point of her nose, as she +was painfully aware, poor lady. She was silent when she +heard this, wondering with a passing pang whether he was +sorry? But being a thoroughly sensible woman, and above +indulging in those little appeals by which foolish ones +confuse the calm of matrimonial friendship, she did not +express the momentary feeling. "Yes, William," she said, +sympathetically, casting her eyes again on the objectionable +carpet, and feeling that there <i>were</i> drawbacks even to her +happiness as the wife of the Rector of Carlingford; "but I +suppose every place has its disadvantages; and then there +is such good society; and a town like this is the very place +for your talents; and when affairs are in your own hands—"</p> + +<p>"It is very easy talking," said the vexed Rector. "Society +and everybody would turn upon me if I interfered with +Wentworth—there's the vexation. The fellow goes about +it as if he had a right. Why, there's a Provident Society +and all sorts of things going on, exactly as if it were his own +parish. What led me to the place was seeing some ladies in +grey cloaks—exactly such frights as you used to make +yourself, my dear—flickering about. He has got up a +sisterhood, I have no doubt; and to find all this in full +operation in one's own parish, without so much as being +informed of it! and you know I don't approve of sisterhoods—never +did; they are founded on a mistake."</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear. I know I gave up as soon as I knew your +views on that subject," said Mrs Morgan. "I daresay so +will the ladies here. Who were they? Did you speak to +them? or perhaps they belonged to St Roque's."</p> + +<p>"Nobody belongs to St Roque's," said the Rector, contemptuously—"it +has not even a district. They were the +two Miss Wodehouses."</p> + +<p>Mrs Morgan was moved to utter a little cry. "And their +father is churchwarden!" said the indignant woman. +"Really, William, this is too much—without even consulting +you! But it is easy to see how <i>that</i> comes about. Lucy +Wodehouse and young Wentworth are—; well, I don't +know if they are engaged—but they are always together, +walking and talking, and consulting with each other, and +so forth—a great deal more than I could approve of; but +that poor elder sister, you know, has no authority—nor +indeed any experience, poor thing," said the Rector's +wife; "that's how it is, no doubt."</p> + +<p>"Engaged!" said the Rector. He gave a kindly glance at +his wife, and melted a little. "Engaged, are they? Poor +little thing! I hope she'll be as good as you have been, my +dear; but a young man may be in love without interfering +with another man's parish. I can't forgive that," said Mr +Morgan, recovering himself; "he must be taught to know +better; and it is very hard upon a clergyman," continued +the spiritual ruler of Carlingford, "that he cannot move in +a matter like this without incurring a storm of godless +criticism. If I were sending Wentworth out of my parish, I +shouldn't wonder if the 'Times' had an article upon it, +denouncing me as an indolent priest and bigot, that would +neither work myself nor let my betters work; that's how +these fellows talk."</p> + +<p>"But nobody could say such things of you," said Mrs +Morgan, firing up.</p> + +<p>"Of me! they'd say them of St Paul, if he had ever been +in the circumstances," said the Rector; "and I should just +like to know what he would have done in a parish like this, +with the Dissenters on one side, and a Perpetual Curate +without a district meddling on the other. Ah, my dear," +continued Mr Morgan, "I daresay they had their troubles +in those days; but facing a governor or so now and then, or +even passing a night in the stocks, is a very different thing +from a showing-up in the 'Times,' not to speak of the +complications of duty. Let us go out and call at Folgate's, +and see whether he thinks anything can be done to the +church."</p> + +<p>"Dear, you wouldn't mind the 'Times' if it were your +duty?" said the Rector's wife, getting up promptly to +prepare for the walk.</p> + +<p>"No, I suppose not," said Mr Morgan, not without a +thrill of importance; "nor the stake," he added, with a +little laugh, for he was not without a sense of humour; and +the two went out to the architect's to ascertain the result of +his cogitations over the church. They passed that sacred +edifice in their way, and went in to gaze at it with a disgust +which only an unhappy priest of high culture and aesthetic +tastes, doomed to officiate in a building of the eighteenth +century, of the churchwarden period of architecture, +could fully enter into. "Eugh!" said Mr Morgan, looking +round upon the high pews and stifling galleries with an +expressive contraction of his features—his wife looked on +sympathetic; and it was at this unlucky moment that the +subject of their late conference made his appearance +cheerfully from behind the ugly pulpit, in close conference +with Mr Folgate. The pulpit was a three-storeyed mass, +with the reading-desk and the clerk's desk beneath—a +terrible eyesore to the Rector and his wife.</p> + +<p>"I can fancy the expediency of keeping the place in +repair," said the Curate of St Roque's, happy in the +consciousness of possessing a church which, though not +old, had been built by Gilbert Scott, and cheerfully unconscious +of the presence of his listeners; "but to beautify +a wretched old barn like this is beyond the imagination of +man. Money can't do everything," said the heedless young +man as he came lounging down the middle aisle, tapping +contemptuously with his cane upon the high pew-doors. "I +wonder where the people expected to go to who built +Carlingford Church? Curious," continued the young +Anglican, stopping in mid career, "to think of bestowing +<i>consecration</i> upon anything so hideous. What a pass the +world must have come to, Folgate, when this erection was +counted worthy to be the house of God! After all, perhaps +it is wrong to feel so strongly about it. The walls <i>are</i> +consecrated, though they are ugly; we can't revoke the +blessing. But no wonder it was an unchristian age."</p> + +<p>"We have our treasure in earthen vessels," said Mr +Morgan, somewhat sternly, from where he stood, under +shelter of the heavy gallery. Mr Wentworth was shortsighted, +like most people nowadays. He put up his glass +hastily, and then hurried forward, perhaps just a little +abashed. When he had made his salutations, however, he +returned undismayed to the charge.</p> + +<p>"It's a great pity you have not something better to work +upon," said the dauntless Curate; "but it is difficult to +conceive what can be done with such an unhallowed type +of construction. I was just saying to Folgate—"</p> + +<p>"There is a great deal of cant abroad on this subject," +said Mr Morgan, interrupting the young oracle. "I like +good architecture, but I don't relish attributing moral +qualities to bricks and mortar. The hallowing influence +ought to be within. Mr Folgate, we were going to call at +your office. Have you thought of the little suggestions I +ventured to make? Oh, the drawings are here. Mr Wentworth +does not approve of them, I suppose?" said the +Rector, turning sternly round upon the unlucky Curate of +St Roque's.</p> + +<p>"I can only say I sympathise with you profoundly," said +young Wentworth, with great seriousness. "Such a terrible +church must be a great trial. I wish I had any advice worth +offering; but it is my hour for a short service down at the +canal, and I can't keep my poor bargees waiting. Good +morning. I hope you'll come and give us your countenance, +Mrs Morgan. There's no end of want and trouble at +Wharfside."</p> + +<p>"Is Mr Wentworth aware, I wonder, that Wharfside is +in the parish of Carlingford?" said the Rector, with involuntary +severity, as the young priest withdrew calmly to go +to his "duty." Mr Folgate, who supposed himself to be +addressed, smiled, and said, "Oh yes, of course," and +unfolded his drawings, to which the clerical pair before +him lent a disturbed attention. They were both in a high +state of indignation by this time. It seemed indispensable +that something should be done to bring to his senses an +intruder so perfectly composed and at his ease.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Meanwhile</span> Mr Wentworth, without much thought of +his sins, went down George Street, meaning to turn off at +the first narrow turning which led down behind the shops +and traffic, behind the comfort and beauty of the little +town, to that inevitable land of shadow which always dogs +the sunshine. Carlingford proper knew little about it, +except that it increased the poor-rates, and now and then +produced a fever. The minister of Salem Chapel was in a +state of complete ignorance on the subject. The late +Rector had been equally uninformed. Mr Bury, who was +Evangelical, had the credit of disinterring the buried +creatures there about thirty years ago. It was an office to +be expected of that much-preaching man; but what was a +great deal more extraordinary, was to find that the only +people now in Carlingford who knew anything about +Wharfside, except overseers of the poor and guardians of +the public peace, were the Perpetual Curate of St +Roque's—who had nothing particular to do with it, and +who was regarded by many sober-minded persons with +suspicion as a dilettante Anglican, given over to floral +ornaments and ecclesiastical upholstery—and some half-dozen +people of the very <i>élite</i> of society, principally ladies +residing in Grange Lane.</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth came to a hesitating pause at the head of +the turning which would have led him to Wharfside. He +looked at his watch and saw there was half an hour to +spare. He gave a wistful lingering look down the long line +of garden-walls, pausing upon one point where the blossomed +boughs of an apple-tree overlooked that enclosure.</p> + +<p>There was quite time to call and ask if the Miss Wodehouses +were going down to the service this afternoon; but +was it duty? or, indeed, putting that question aside, was it +quite right to compound matters with his own heart's +desire and the work he was engaged in, in this undeniable +fashion? The young priest crossed the street very slowly, +swinging his cane and knitting his brows as he debated the +question. If it had been one of the bargemen bringing his +sweetheart, walking with her along the side of the canal to +which Spring and sweet Easter coming on, and Love, +perhaps, always helpful of illusions, might convey a certain +greenness and sentiment of nature—and echoing her +soft responses to the afternoon prayers—perhaps the +Curate might have felt that such devotion was not entirely +pure and simple. But somehow, before he was aware of it, +his slow footstep had crossed the line, and he found +himself in Grange Lane, bending his steps towards Mr +Wodehouse's door. For one thing, to be sure, the Canticles +in the evening service could always be sung when +Lucy's sweet clear voice was there to lead the uncertain +melody; and it was good to see her singing the 'Magnificat' +with that serious sweet face, "full of grace," like Mary's +own. Thinking of that, Mr Wentworth made his way +without any further hesitation to the green door over +which hung the apple-blossoms, totally untroubled in his +mind as to what the reverend pair were thinking whom he +had left behind him in the ugly church; and unconscious +that his impromptu chapel at Wharfside, with its little +carved reading-desk, and the table behind, contrived so as +to look suspiciously like an altar, was a thorn in anybody's +side. Had his mind been in a fit condition at that moment +to cogitate trouble, his thoughts would have travelled in a +totally different direction, but in the mean time Mr Wentworth +was very well able to put aside his perplexities. The +green door opened just as he reached it, and Lucy and her +elder sister came out in those grey cloaks which the Rector +had slandered. They were just going to Wharfside to the +service, and of course they were surprised to see Mr +Wentworth, who did not knock at that green door more +than a dozen times in a week, on the average. The Curate +walked between the sisters on their way towards their +favourite "district." Such a position would scarcely have +been otherwise than agreeable to any young man. Dear +old Miss Wodehouse was the gentlest of chaperones. Old +Miss Wodehouse people called her, not knowing why—perhaps +because that adjective was sweeter than the harsh +one of middle age which belonged to her; and then there +was such a difference between her and Lucy. Lucy was +twenty, and in her sweetest bloom. Many people thought +with Mr Wentworth that there were not other two such +eyes in Carlingford. Not that they were brilliant or penetrating, +but as blue as heaven, and as serene and pure. So +many persons thought, and the Perpetual Curate among +them. The grey cloak fell in pretty folds around that light +elastic figure; and there was not an old woman in the town +so tender, so helpful, so handy as Lucy where trouble was, +as all the poor people knew. So the three went down +Prickett's Lane, which leads from George Street towards +the canal—not a pleasant part of the town by any means; +and if Mr Wentworth was conscious of a certain haze of +sunshine all round and about him, gliding over the poor +pavement, and here and there transfiguring some baby +bystander gazing open-mouthed at the pretty lady, could +any reasonable man be surprised?</p> + +<p>"I hope your aunts were quite well, Mr Wentworth, +when you heard from them last," said Miss Wodehouse, +"and all your people at home. In such a small family as +ours, we should go out of our wits if we did not hear every +day; but I suppose it is different where there are so many. +Lucy, when she goes from home," said the tender elder +sister, glancing at her with a half-maternal admiration—"and +she might always be visiting about if she liked—writes +to me every day."</p> + +<p>"I have nobody who cares for me enough to write every +week," said the Curate, with a look which was for Lucy's +benefit. "I am not so lucky as you. My aunts are quite +well, Miss Wodehouse, and they think I had better go up +to town in May for the meetings," added Mr Wentworth, +with a passing laugh; "and the rest of my people are very +indignant that I am not of their way of thinking. There is +Tom Burrows on the other side of the street; he is trying to +catch <i>your</i> eye," said the Curate, turning round upon +Lucy; for the young man had come to such a pass that he +could not address her in an ordinary and proper way like +other people, but, because he dared not yet call her by her +Christian name as if she belonged to him, had a strange +rude way of indicating when he was speaking to her, by +emphasis and action. It was singularly different from his +usual good-breeding; but Lucy somehow rather liked it +than otherwise. "He is not going to church for the sake of +the service. He is going to please <i>you</i>. He has never +forgotten what you did for that little boy of his; and, +indeed, if you continue to go on so," said Mr Wentworth, +lowering his voice, and more than ever bending his tall +head to one side, "I shall have to put a stop to it somehow, +for I am not prepared, whatever people say, to go in at +once for <i>public</i> worship of the saints."</p> + +<p>"I am going in here to call," said Lucy. She looked up +very innocently in the Curate's face. "I promised the poor +sick woman in the back room to see her every day, and I +could not get out any sooner. I daresay I shall be at the +schoolroom before you begin. Good-bye just now," said +the young Sister of Mercy. She went off all at once on this +provoking but unexceptionable errand, looking with calm +eyes upon the dismay which overspread the expressive +countenance of her spiritual guide. Mr Wentworth stood +looking after her for a moment, stunned by the unexpected +movement. When he went on, truth compels us to own +that a thrill of disgust had taken the place of that vague +general sense of beatitude which threw beauty even upon +Prickett's Lane. The Curate gave but a sulky nod to the +salutation of Tom Burrows, and walked on in a savage +mood by the side of Miss Wodehouse, around whom no +nimbus of ideal glory hovered.</p> + +<p>"I am always afraid of its being too much for her, Mr +Wentworth," said the anxious elder sister; "it upsets me +directly; but then I never was like Lucy—I can't tell +where all you young people have learned it; we never +used to be taught so in my day; and though I am twice as +old as she is, I know I am not half so much good in the +world," said the kind soul, with a gentle sigh. "I should +like to see you in a parish of your own, where you would +have it all your own way. I hope Mr Morgan won't be +meddling when he comes to have time for everything. I +should almost think he would—though it seems unkind to +say it—by his face."</p> + +<p>"I am doing nothing more than my duty," said the +Perpetual Curate, in morose tones. "This district was +given into my hands by the late Rector. Mr Morgan's face +does not matter to me."</p> + +<p>"But I should like to see you in a parish of your own," +said Miss Wodehouse, meaning to please him. "You know +papa always says so. St Roque's is very nice, but—"</p> + +<p>"If you wish me out of the way, Miss Wodehouse, I am +sorry to say you are not likely to be gratified," said the +Curate, "for I have no more expectation of any preferment +than you have. Such chances don't come in everybody's +way."</p> + +<p>"But I thought your aunts, Mr Wentworth—" said poor +Miss Wodehouse, who unluckily did not always know +when to stop.</p> + +<p>"My aunts don't approve of my principles," answered +Mr Wentworth, who had his own reasons for speaking +with a little asperity. "They are more likely to have me +denounced at Exeter Hall. I will join you immediately. I +must speak to these men across the street;" and the Curate +accordingly walked into a knot of loungers opposite, with a +decision of manner which Lucy's desertion had helped +him to. Miss Wodehouse, thus left alone, went on with +lingering and somewhat doubtful steps. She was not used +to being in "the district" by herself. It disturbed her mild, +middle-aged habits to be left straying about here alone +among all these poor people, whom she looked at half +wistfully, half alarmed, feeling for them in her kind heart, +but not at all knowing how to get at them as the young +people did. The unruly children and gossiping mothers at +the poor doors discomposed her sadly, and she was not +near so sure that her grey cloak defended her from all +rudeness as she pretended to be when assenting to the +enthusiasm of Mr Wentworth and Lucy. She made tremulous +haste to get out of this scene, which she was not +adapted for, to the shelter of the schoolroom, where, at +least, she would be safe. "We never were taught so in my +day," she said to herself, with an unexpressed wonder +which was right; but when she had reached that haven of +shelter, was seized with a little panic for Lucy, and went +out again and watched for her at the corner of the street, +feeling very uncomfortable. It was a great relief to see her +young sister coming down alert and bright even before she +was joined by Mr Wentworth, who had carried his point +with the men he had been talking to. To see them coming +down together, smiling to all those people at the doors who +disturbed the gentle mind of Miss Wodehouse with +mingled sentiments of sympathy and repulsion, bestowing +nods of greeting here and there, pausing even to say a +word to a few favoured clients, was a wonderful sight to +the timid maiden lady at the corner of the street. Twenty +years ago some such companion might have been by Miss +Wodehouse's side, but never among the poor people in +Prickett's Lane. Even with Lucy before her she did not +understand it. As the two came towards her, other +thoughts united with these in her kind soul. "I wonder +whether anything will ever come of it?" she said to herself, +and with that wandered into anxious reflections what this +difference could be between Mr Wentworth and his aunts: +which cogitations, indeed, occupied her till the service +began, and perhaps disturbed her due appreciation of it; +for if Lucy and Mr Wentworth got attached, as seemed +likely, and Mr Wentworth did not get a living, what was to +come of it? The thought made this tender-hearted +spectator sigh: perhaps she had some experience of her +own to enlighten her on such a point. At least it troubled, +with sympathetic human cares, the gentle soul which had +lost the confidence of youth.</p> + +<p>As for the two most immediately concerned, they +thought nothing at all about aunts or livings. Whether it is +the divine influence of youth, or whether the vague unacknowledged +love which makes two people happy in +each other's presence carries with it a certain inspiration, +this at least is certain, that there is an absolute warmth of +devotion arrived at in such moments, which many a soul, +no longer happy, would give all the world to reach. Such +crowds and heaps of blessings fall to these young souls! +They said their prayers with all their hearts, not aware of +deriving anything of that profound sweet trust and happiness +from each other, but expanding over all the rude but +reverend worshippers around them, with an unlimited +faith in their improvement, almost in their perfection. +This was what the wondering looker-on, scarcely able to +keep her anxieties out of her prayers, could not understand, +having forgotten, though she did not think so, the +exaltation of that time of youth, as people do. She thought +it all their goodness that they were able to put away their +own thoughts; she did not know it was in the very nature +of those unexpressed emotions to add the confidence of +happiness to their prayers.</p> + +<p>And after a while they all separated and went away +back into the world and the everyday hours. Young +Wentworth and Lucy had not said a syllable to each other, +except about the people in "the district," and the +Provident Society; and how that sober and laudable conversation +could be called love-making, it would be difficult +for the most ardent imagination to conceive. He was to +dine with them that evening; so it was for but a very brief +time that they parted when the Perpetual Curate left the +ladies at the green door, and went away to his room, to +attend to some other duties, before he arrayed himself for +the evening. As for the sisters, they went in quite comfortably, +and had their cup of tea before they dressed for +dinner. Lucy was manager indoors as well as out. She was +good for a great deal more than Miss Wodehouse in every +practical matter. It was she who was responsible for the +dinner, and had all the cares of the house upon her head. +Notwithstanding, the elder sister took up her prerogative +as they sat together in two very cosy easy-chairs, in a little +room which communicated with both their bed-chambers +up-stairs—a very cosy little odd room, not a dressing-room +nor a boudoir, but something between the two, where the +sisters had their private talks upon occasion, and which +was consecrated by many a libation of fragrant tea.</p> + +<p>"Lucy, my dear," said Miss Wodehouse, whose gentle +forehead was puckered with care, "I want to speak to you. +I have not been able to get you out of my mind since ever +we met Mr Wentworth at the green door."</p> + +<p>"Was there any need for getting me out of your mind?" +said smiling Lucy. "I was a safe enough inmate, surely. I +wonder how often I am out of your mind, Mary dear, +night or day."</p> + +<p>"That is true enough," said Miss Wodehouse, "but you +know that is not what I meant either. Lucy, are you quite +sure you're going on just as you ought—"</p> + +<p>Here she made a troubled pause, and looked in the +laughing face opposite, intent upon her with its startled +eyes. "What have I done?" cried the younger sister. Miss +Wodehouse shook her head with a great deal of seriousness.</p> + +<p>"It always begins with laughing," said the experienced +woman; "but if it ends without tears it will be something +new to me. It's about Mr Wentworth, Lucy. You're +always together, day after day; and, my dear, such things +can't go on without coming to something—what is to come +of it? I have looked at it from every point of view, and I +am sure I don't know."</p> + +<p>Lucy flushed intensely red, of course, at the Curate's +name; perhaps she had not expected it just at that +moment; but she kept her composure like a sensible girl as +she was.</p> + +<p>"I thought it was the other side that were questioned +about their intentions," she said. "Am I doing anything +amiss? Mr Wentworth is the Curate of St Roque's, and I +am one of the district-visitors, and we can't help seeing a +great deal of each other so long as this work goes on at +Wharfside. You wouldn't like to stop a great work because +we are obliged to see a good deal of—of one particular +person?" said Lucy, with youthful virtue, looking at her +sister's face; at which tone and look Miss Wodehouse +immediately faltered, as the culprit knew she must.</p> + +<p>"No—oh no, no—to be sure not," said the disturbed +monitor. "When you say that, I don't know how to answer +you. It must be right, I suppose. I am quite sure it is +wonderful to see such young creatures as you, and how +you can tell the right way to set about it. But things did not +use to be so in my young days. Girls dare not have done +such things twenty years ago—not in Carlingford, Lucy," +said Miss Wodehouse; "and, dear, I think you ought to be +a little careful, for poor Mr Wentworth's sake."</p> + +<p>"I don't think Mr Wentworth is in any particular +danger," said Lucy, putting down her cup, with a slight +curve at the corners of her pretty mouth—"and it is quite +time for you to begin dressing. You know you don't like to +be hurried, dear;" with which speech the young housekeeper +got up from her easy-chair, gave her sister a kiss as +she passed, and went away, singing softly, to her toilette. +Perhaps there was a little flutter in Lucy's heart as she +bound it round with her favourite blue ribbons. Perhaps it +was this that gave a certain startled gleam to her blue +eyes, and made even her father remark them when she +went down-stairs—"It seems to me as if this child were +growing rather pretty, Molly, eh? I don't know what other +people think," said Mr Wodehouse—and perhaps Mr +Wentworth, who was just being ushered into the drawing-room +at the moment, heard the speech, for he, too, looked +as if he had never found it out before. Luckily there was a +party, and no opportunity for sentiment. The party was in +honour of the Rector and his wife; and Mr Wentworth +could not but be conscious before the evening was over +that he had done something to lose the favour of his +clerical brother. There was a good deal of Church talk, as +was natural, at the churchwarden's table, where three +clergymen were dining—for Mr Morgan's curate was +there as well; and the Curate of St Roque's, who was +slightly hot-tempered, could not help feeling himself disapproved +of. It was not, on the whole, a satisfactory +evening. Mr Morgan talked rather big, when the ladies +went away, of his plans for the reformation of Carlingford. +He went into statistics about the poor, and the number of +people who attended no church, without taking any notice +of that "great work" which Mr Wentworth knew to be +going on at Wharfside. The Rector even talked of Wharfside, +and of the necessity of exertion on behalf of that +wretched district, with a studious unconsciousness of Mr +Wentworth; and all but declined to receive better information +when Mr Wodehouse proffered it. Matters were +scarcely better in the drawing-room, where Lucy was +entertaining everybody, and had no leisure for the +Perpetual Curate. He took his hat with a gloomy sentiment +of satisfaction when it was time to go away; but when +the green door was closed behind him, Mr Wentworth, +with his first step into the dewy darkness, plunged headlong +into a sea of thought. He had to walk down the whole length +of Grange Lane to his lodging, which was in the last house +of the row, a small house in a small garden, where Mrs +Hadwin, the widow of a whilom curate, was permitted by +public opinion, on the score of her own unexceptionable +propriety,<a href="#Fn1"><small><sup>1</sup></small></a><a name="Fn1r" id="Fn1r"></a> +to receive a lodger without loss of position +thereby. It was moonlight, or rather it ought to have been +moonlight, and no lamps were lighted in Grange Lane, +according to the economical regulations of Carlingford; +and as Mr Wentworth pursued his way down the dark line +of garden-walls, in the face of a sudden April shower +which happened to be falling, he had full scope and +opportunity for his thoughts.</p> + +<p>These thoughts were not the most agreeable in the +world. In the first place it must be remembered that for +nearly a year past Mr Wentworth had had things his own +way in Carlingford. He had been more than rector, he had +been archdeacon, or rather bishop, in Mr Proctor's time; +for that good man was humble, and thankful for the advice +and assistance of his young brother, who knew so much +better than he did. Now, to be looked upon as an unauthorised +workman, a kind of meddling, Dissenterish, +missionising individual, was rather hard upon the young +man. And then he thought of his aunts. The connection, +imperceptible to an ignorant observer, which existed +between the Miss Wentworths and Mr Morgan, and Lucy, +and many other matters interesting to their nephew, was a +sufficiently real connection when you came to know it. +That parish of his own which Miss Wodehouse had wished +him—which would free the young clergyman from all +trammels so far as his work was concerned; and would +enable him to marry, and do everything for him—it was in +the power of the Miss Wentworths to bestow; but they +were Evangelical women, very public-spirited, and +thinking nothing of their nephew in comparison with their +duty; and he was at that time of life, and of that disposition, +which, for fear of being supposed to wish to deceive +them, would rather exaggerate and make a display of the +difference of his own views. Not for freedom, not for +Lucy, would the Perpetual Curate temporise and manage +the matter; so the fact was that he stood at the present +moment in a very perilous predicament. But for this +family living, which was, with their mother's property, in +the hands of her co-heiresses, the three Miss Wentworths, +young Frank Wentworth had not a chance of preferment +in the world; for the respectable Squire his father had +indulged in three wives and three families, and such a +regiment of sons that all his influence had been fully taxed +to provide for them. Gerald, the clergyman of the first lot, +held the family living—not a very large one—which +belonged to the Wentworths; and Frank, who was of the +second, had been educated expressly with an eye to +Skelmersdale, which belonged to his aunts. How he came +at the end to differ so completely from these excellent +ladies in his religious views is not our business just at +present; but in the mean time matters were in a very +critical position. The old incumbent of Skelmersdale was +eighty, and had been ill all winter; and if the Miss Wentworths +were not satisfied somehow, it was all over with +their nephew's hopes.</p> + +<p>Such were the thoughts that occupied his mind as he +walked down Grange Lane in the dark, past the tedious, +unsympathetic line of garden-walls, with the rain in his +face. The evening's entertainment had stirred up a great +many dormant sentiments. His influence in Carlingford +had been ignored by this new-comer, who evidently +thought he could do what he liked without paying any +attention to the Curate of St Roque's; and, what was a +great deal worse, he had found Lucy unapproachable, and +had realised, if not for the first time, still with more +distinctness than ever before, that she did not belong to +him, and that he had no more right than any other +acquaintance to monopolise her society. This last discovery +was bitter to the young man—it was this that made +him set his face to the rain, and his teeth, as if that could +do any good. He had been happy in her mere society +to-day, without entering into any of the terrible preliminaries +of a closer connection. But now that was over. She +did not belong to him, and he could not bear the thought. +And how was she ever to belong to him? Not, certainly, if +he was to be a Perpetual Curate of St Roque's, or anywhere +else. He felt, in the misery of the moment, as if he +could never go to that green door again, or walk by her +sweet side to that service in which they had joined so +lately. He wondered whether she cared, with a despairing +pang of anxiety, through which for an instant a celestial +gleam of consciousness leaped, making the darkness all +the greater afterwards. And to think that three old ladies, +of whom it was not in the nature of things that the young +man could be profoundly reverent, should hold in their +hands the absolute power of his life, and could determine +whether it was to be sweet with hope and love, or stern, +constrained, and impoverished, without Lucy or any other +immediate light! What a strange anomaly this was which +met him full in the face as he pursued his thoughts! If it +had been his bishop, or his college, or any fitting tribunal—but +his aunts! Mr Wentworth's ring at his own door was so +much more hasty than usual that Mrs Hadwin paused in +the hall, when she had lighted her candle, to see if +anything was the matter. The little neat old lady held up +her candle to look at him as he came in, glistening all over +with rain-drops.</p> + +<p>"I hope you are not wet, Mr Wentworth," she said. "It +is only an April shower, and we want it so much in the +gardens. And I hope you have had a nice party and a +pleasant evening."</p> + +<p>"Thank you—pretty well," said the Perpetual Curate, +with less suavity than usual, and a sigh that nearly blew +Mrs Hadwin's candle out. She saw he was discomposed, +and therefore, with a feminine instinct, found more to say +than usual before she made her peaceful way to bed. She +waited while Mr Wentworth lighted his candle too.</p> + +<p>"Mr Wodehouse's parties are always pleasant," she +said. "I never go out, you know; but I like to hear of +people enjoying themselves. I insist upon you going up-stairs +before me, Mr Wentworth. I have so little breath to +spare, and I take such a long time going up, that you +would be tired to death waiting for me. Now, don't be +polite. I insist upon you going up first. Thank you. Now I +can take my time."</p> + +<p>And she took her time accordingly, keeping Mr Wentworth +waiting on the landing to say good-night to her, +much to his silent exasperation. When he got into the +shelter of his own sitting-room, he threw himself upon a +sofa, and continued his thoughts with many a troubled +addition. A young man, feeling in a great measure the +world before him, conscious of considerable powers, +standing on the very threshold of so much possible good +and happiness,—it was hideous to look up, in his excited +imagination, and see the figures of these three old ladies, +worse than Fates, standing across the prospect and barring +the way.</p> + +<p>And Lucy, meantime, was undoing her blue ribbons +with a thrill of sweet agitation in her untroubled bosom. +Perhaps Mary was right, and it was about coming to the +time when this half-feared, half-hoped revelation could +not be postponed much longer. For it will be perceived +that Lucy was not in much doubt of young Wentworth's +sentiments. And then she paused in the dark, after she +had said her prayers, to give one timid thought to the +sweet life that seemed to lie before her so close at hand—in +which, perhaps, he and she were to go out together, she +did not know where, for the help of the world and the +comfort of the sorrowful; and not trusting herself to look +much at that ideal, said another prayer, and went to sleep +like one of God's beloved, with a tear too exquisite to be +shed brimming under her long eyelashes. At this crisis of +existence, perhaps for once in her life, the woman has the +best of it; for very different from Lucy's were the thoughts +with which the Curate sought his restless pillow, hearing +the rain drip all the night, and trickle into Mrs Hadwin's +reservoirs. The old lady had a passion for rain-water, and +it was a gusty night.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h3> +<p> </p> +<p><span class="smallcaps">Next</span> week was Passion Week, and full of occupation. +Even if it had been consistent either with Mr Wentworth's +principles or Lucy's to introduce secular affairs into so +holy a season, they had not time or opportunity, as it +happened, which was perhaps just as well; for otherwise +the premonitory thrill of expectation which had disturbed +Lucy's calm, and the bitter exasperation against himself +and his fate with which Mr Wentworth had discovered +that he dared not say anything, might have caused an +estrangement between them. As it was, the air was +thundery and ominous through all the solemn days of the +Holy Week. A consciousness as of something about to +happen overshadowed even the "district," and attracted +the keen observation of the lively spectators at Wharfside. +They were not greatly up in matters of doctrine, nor +perhaps did they quite understand the eloquent little +sermon which the Perpetual Curate gave them on Good +Friday in the afternoon, between his own services, by way +of impressing upon their minds the awful memories of the +day; but they were as skilful in the variations of their +young evangelist's looks, and as well qualified to decide +upon the fact that there was "a something between" him +and Miss Lucy Wodehouse, as any practised observer in +the higher ranks of society. Whether the two had "'ad an +unpleasantness," as, Wharfside was well aware, human +creatures under such circumstances are liable to have, the +interested community could not quite make out; but that +something more than ordinary was going on, and that the +prettiest of all the "Provident ladies" had a certain preoccupation +in her blue eyes, was a fact perfectly apparent +to that intelligent society. And, indeed, one of the kinder +matrons in Prickett's Lane had even ventured so far as to +wish Miss Lucy "a 'appy weddin' when the time comes." +"And there's to be a sight o' weddings this Easter," had +added another, who was somewhat scandalised by the +flowers in the bonnet of one of the brides-elect, and +proceeded to say so in some detail. "But Miss Lucy won't +wear no bonnet; the quality goes in veils: and there never +was as full a church as there will be to see it, wishing you +your 'ealth and 'appiness, ma'am, as aint no more nor you +deserve, and you so good to us poor folks." All which +felicitations and inquiries had confused Lucy, though she +made her way out of them with a self-possession which +amazed her sister.</p> + +<p>"You see what everybody thinks, dear," said that +gentle woman, when they had made their escape.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mary, how can you talk of such things at such a +time?" the young Sister of Mercy had answered once +more, turning those severe eyes of youthful devotion upon +her troubled elder sister, who, to tell the truth, not having +been brought up to it, as she said, felt much the same on +Easter Eve as at other times of her life; and thus once +more the matter concluded. As for Mr Wentworth, he was +much occupied on that last day of the Holy Week with a +great many important matters on hand. He had not seen +the Wodehouses since the Good Friday evening service, +which was an interval of about twenty hours, and had just +paused, before eating his bachelor's dinner, to ponder +whether it would be correct on that most sacred of vigils to +steal away for half an hour, just to ask Lucy if she thought +it necessary that he should see the sick woman at No. 10 +Prickett's Lane before the morning. It was while he was +pondering this matter in his mind that Mr Wentworth's +heart jumped to his throat upon receipt, quite suddenly, +without preparation, of the following note:—</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> +"<span class="smallcaps">My dearest boy</span>,—Your aunts Cecilia, Leonora, and +I have just arrived at this excellent inn, the Blue Boar. +Old Mr Shirley at Skelmersdale is in a very bad way, poor +man, and I thought the <i>very best</i> thing I could do in my +dearest Frank's <i>best</i> interests, was to persuade them to +make you <i>quite</i> an <i>unexpected visit</i>, and see everything for +themselves. I am in a terrible fright now lest I should have +done wrong; but my dear, dear boy knows it is always his +interest that I have at heart; and Leonora is so intent on +having a <i>real gospel minister</i> at Skelmersdale, that she +<i>never</i> would have been content with anything less than +hearing you with her own ears. I hope and trust in +Providence that you don't intone like poor Gerald. And +oh, Frank, my dear boy, come directly and dine with us, +and don't fly in your aunt Leonora's face, and tell me I +haven't been imprudent. I thought it would be best to take +you unawares when you had everything prepared, and +when we should see you just as you always are; for I am +convinced Leonora and you only want to see more of each +other to understand each other perfectly. Come, my +dearest boy, and give a little comfort to your loving and +anxious </p> +<p class="right">"<span class="smallcaps">Aunt Dora.</span>"</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth sat gazing blankly upon this horrible +missive for some minutes after he had read it, quite +unaware of the humble presence of the maid who stood +asking, Please was she to bring up dinner? When he came +to himself, the awful "No!" with which he answered that +alarmed handmaiden almost drove her into hysterics as +she escaped down-stairs. However, Mr Wentworth +immediately put his head out at the door and called after +her, "I can't wait for dinner, Sarah; I am suddenly called +out, and shall dine where I am going. Tell Cook," said the +young parson, suddenly recollecting Lucy's client, "to +send what she has prepared for me, if it is very nice, to +No. 10 Prickett's Lane. My boy will take it; and send him +off directly, please," with which last commission the +young man went up despairingly to his bedroom to prepare +himself for this interview with his aunts. What was he +to do? Already before him, in dreadful prophetic vision, +he saw all three seated in one of the handsome open +benches in St Roque's, looking indescribable horrors at +the crown of spring lilies which Lucy's own fingers were to +weave for the cross above the altar, and listening to the +cadence of his own manly tenor as it rang through the +perfect little church of which he was so proud. Yes, there +was an end of Skelmersdale, without any doubt or +question now; whatever hope there might have been, aunt +Dora had settled the matter by this last move of hers—an +end to Skelmersdale, and an end of Lucy. Perhaps he had +better try not to see her any more; and the poor young +priest saw that his own face looked ghastly as he looked at +it in the glass. It gave him a little comfort to meet the boy +with a bundle pinned up in snowy napkins, from which a +grateful odour ascended, bending his steps to Prickett's +Lane, as he himself went out to meet his fate. It was a +last offering to that beloved "district" with which the +image of his love was blended; but he would have given +his dinner to Lucy's sick woman any day. To-night it was a +greater sacrifice that was to be required of him. He went +mournfully and slowly up Grange Lane, steeling himself +for the encounter, and trying to forgive aunt Dora in his +heart. It was not very easy. Things might have turned out +just the same without any interference—that was true; but +to have it all brought on in this wanton manner by a kind +foolish woman, who would wring her hands and gaze in +your face, and want to know, Oh! did you think it was +her fault? after she had precipitated the calamity, was +very hard; and it was with a very gloomy countenance, +accordingly, that the Curate of St Roque's presented +himself at the Blue Boar.</p> + +<p>The Miss Wentworths were in the very best sitting-room +which the Blue Boar contained—the style in which +they travelled, with a man and two maids, was enough to +secure that; and the kitchen of that respectable establishment +was doing its very best to send up a dinner worthy of +"a party as had their own man to wait." The three ladies +greeted their nephew with varying degrees of enthusiasm. +The eldest, Miss Wentworth, from whom he took his +second name Cecil, did not rise from her chair, but nevertheless +kissed him in an affectionate dignified way when +he was brought to her. As for aunt Dora, she ran into her +dear Frank's arms, and in the very moment of that +embrace whispered in his ear the expression of her +anxiety, and the panic which always followed those rash +steps which she was in the habit of taking. "Oh, my dear, I +hope you don't think I'm to blame," she said, with her lips +at his ear, and gained but cold comfort from the Curate's +face. The alarming member of the party was Miss +Leonora. She rose and made two steps forward to meet the +unfortunate young man. She shook both his hands cordially, +and said she was very glad to see him, and hoped he +was well. She was the sensible sister of the three, and no +doubt required all the sense she had to manage her companions. +Miss Wentworth, who had been very pretty in her +youth, was now a beautiful old lady, with snow-white hair +and the most charming smile; and Miss Dora, who was only +fifty, retained the natural colour of her own scanty light-brown +locks, which wavered in weak-minded ringlets over +her cheeks; but Miss Leonora was iron-grey, without any +complexion in particular, and altogether a harder type of +woman. It was she who held in her hands the fate of +Skelmersdale and of Frank Wentworth. Her terrible +glance it was which he had imagined gleaming fierce upon +his lilies—Lucy's lilies, his Easter decorations. It was by +her side the alarmed Curate was made to sit down. It was +she who took the foot of the table, and was the gentleman +of the house. Her voice was of that class of voice which +may be politely called a powerful contralto. Every way +she was as alarming a critic as ever was encountered by a +Perpetual Curate, or any other young man in trouble. Mr +Wentworth said feebly that this was a very unexpected +pleasure, as he met his aunt Leonora's eye.</p> + +<p>"I hope it <i>is</i> a pleasure," said that penetrating observer. +"To tell the truth, I did not expect it would be; but your +aunt Dora thought so, and you know, when she sets her +heart on anything, nobody can get any peace. Not that +your aunt Cecilia and I would have come on that account, +if we had not wished, for many reasons, to have some +conversation with you, and see how you are getting on."</p> + +<p>"Quite so, Leonora," said Miss Wentworth, smiling +upon her nephew, and leaning back in her chair.</p> + +<p>Then there was a little pause; for, after such a terrible +address, it was not to be expected that the poor man, who +understood every word of it, could repeat his commonplace +about the unlooked-for pleasure. Miss Dora of +course seized the opportunity to rush in.</p> + +<p>"We have been hearing such delightful things about +you, my dear, from the people of the house. Leonora is so +pleased to hear how you are labouring among the people, +and doing your Master's work. We take all the happiness +to ourselves, because, you know, you are <i>our</i> boy, +Frank," said the anxious aunt, all her thin ringlets, poor +lady, trembling with her eagerness to make everything +comfortable for her favourite; "and we have come, you +know, specially to hear you on Easter Sunday in your own +church. I am looking forward to a great treat: to think I +should never have heard you, though it is so long since +you were ordained! None of us have ever heard you—not +even Leonora; but it is such a pleasure to us all to know +you are so much liked in Carlingford," cried the troubled +woman, growing nervous at sight of the unresponsive +quiet around her. Miss Leonora by no means replied to +the covert appeals thus made to her. She left her nephew +and her sister to keep up the conversation unassisted; and +as for Miss Wentworth, conversation was not her forte.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid, aunt, you will not <i>hear</i> anything worth such a +long journey," said Mr Wentworth, moved, like a rash +young man as he was, to display his colours at once, and cry +no surrender. "I don't think an Easter Sunday is a time for +much preaching; and the Church has made such ample +provision for the expression of our sentiments. I am more of +a humble priest than an ambitious preacher," said the +young man, with characteristic youthful pretence of the most +transparent kind. He looked in Miss Leonora's face as he +spoke. He knew the very name of priest was an offence in +its way to that highly Evangelical woman; and if they were +to come to single combat, better immediately than after +intolerable suspense and delay.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps, Dora, you will postpone your raptures about +Frank's sermon—which may be a very indifferent sermon, +as he says, for anything we can tell—till after +dinner," said Miss Leonora. "We're all very glad to see +him; and he need not think any little ill-tempered +speeches he may make will disturb me. I daresay the poor +boy would be glad to hear of some of the people belonging +to him instead of all that nonsense. Come to dinner, +Frank. Take the other side of the table, opposite Dora; +and now that you've said grace, I give you full leave to +forget that you're a clergyman for an hour at least. We +were down at the old Hall a week ago, and saw your father +and the rest. They are all well; and the last boy is rather +like you, if you will think that any compliment. Mrs +Wentworth is pleased, because you are one of the handsome +ones, you know. Not much fear of the Wentworths +dying out of the country yet awhile. Your father is getting +at his wit's end, and does not know what to do with +Cuthbert and Guy. Three sons are enough in the army, +and two at sea; and I rather think it's as much as we can +stand," continued Miss Leonora, not without a gleam of +humour in her iron-grey eyes, "to have two in the Church."</p> + +<p>"That is as it may happen," said the Perpetual Curate, +with a little spirit. "If the boys are of my way of thinking, +they will consider the Church the highest of professions; +but Guy and Cuthbert must go to Australia, I suppose, like +most other people, and take their chance—no harm in that."</p> + +<p>"Not a bit of harm," said the rich aunt; "they're good +boys enough, and I daresay they'll get on. As for Gerald, +if you have any influence with your brother, I think he's in +a bad way. I think he has a bad attack of Romishness +coming on. If you are not in that way yourself," said Miss +Leonora, with a sharp glance, "I think you should go and +see after Gerald. He is the sort of man who would do +anything foolish, you know. He doesn't understand what +prudence means. Remember, I believe he is a good +Christian all the same. It's very incomprehensible; but the +fact is, a man may be a very good Christian, and have the +least quality of sense that is compatible with existence. +I've seen it over and over again. Gerald's notions are +idiocy to me," said the sensible but candid woman, shrugging +her shoulders; "but I can't deny that he's a good man, +for all that."</p> + +<p>"He is the best man I ever knew," said young Wentworth, +with enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"Quite so, Frank," echoed aunt Cecilia, with her sweet +smile: it was almost the only conversational effort Miss +Wentworth ever made.</p> + +<p>"But it is so sad to see how he's led away," said Miss +Dora; "it is all owing to the bad advisers young men meet +with at the universities; and how can it be otherwise as +long as tutors and professors are chosen just for their +learning, without any regard to their principles? What is +Greek and Latin in comparison with a pious guide for the +young? We would not have to feel frightened, as we do so +often, about young men's principles," continued aunt Dora, +fixing her eyes with warning significance on her nephew, +and trying hard to open telegraphic communications +with him, "if more attention was paid at the universities +to give them sound guidance in their studies. So long +as you are sound in your principles, there is no fear of +you," said the timid diplomatist, trying to aid the warning +look of her eyes by emphasis and inflection. Poor Miss +Dora! it was her unlucky fate, by dint of her very exertions +in smoothing matters, always to make things worse.</p> + +<p>"He would be a bold man who would call those principles +unsound which have made my brother Gerald what +he is," said, with an affectionate admiration that became +him, the Curate of St Roque's.</p> + +<p>"It's a slavish system, notwithstanding Gerald," said +Miss Leonora, with some heat; "and a false system, and +leads to Antichrist at the end and nothing less. Eat your +dinner, Frank—we are not going to argue just now. We +expected to hear that another of the girls was engaged +before we came away, but it has not occurred yet. I don't +approve of young men dancing about a house for ever and +ever, unless they mean something. Do you?"</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth faltered at this question; it disturbed his +composure more than anything that had preceded it. "I—really +I don't know," he said, after a pause, with a sickly +smile—of which all three of his aunts took private notes, +forming their own conclusions. It was, as may well be +supposed, a very severe ordeal which the poor young man +had to go through. When he was permitted to say good-night, +he went away with a sensation of fatigue more +overpowering than if he had visited all the houses in +Wharfside. When he passed the green door, over which +the apple-tree rustled in the dark, it was a pang to his +heart. How was he to continue to live—to come and go +through that familiar road—to go through all the meetings +and partings, when this last hopeless trial was over, and +Lucy and he were swept apart as if by an earthquake? If +his lips were sealed henceforward, and he never was at +liberty to say what was in his heart, what would she think +of him? He could not fly from his work because he lost +Skelmersdale; and how was he to bear it? He went home +with a dull bitterness in his mind, trying, when he thought +of it, to quiet the aching pulses which throbbed all over +him, with what ought to have been the hallowed associations +of the last Lenten vigil. But it was difficult, throbbing +as he was with wild life and trouble to the very finger-points, +to get himself into the shadow of that rock-hewn +grave, by which, according to his own theory, the Church +should be watching on this Easter Eve. It was hard just +then to be bound to that special remembrance. What he +wanted at this moment was no memory of one hour, +however memorable or glorious, not even though it contained +the Redeemer's grave, but the sense of a living +Friend standing by him in the great struggle, which is the +essential and unfailing comfort of a Christian's life.</p> + +<p>Next morning he went to church with a half-conscious, +youthful sense of martyrdom, of which in his heart he was +half ashamed. St Roque's was very fair to see that Easter +morning. Above the communion-table, with all its sacred +vessels, the carved oaken cross of the reredos was +wreathed tenderly with white fragrant festoons of spring +lilies, sweet Narcissus of the poets; and Mr Wentworth's +choristers made another white line, two deep, down each +side of the chancel. The young Anglican took in all the +details of the scene on his way to the reading-desk as the +white procession ranged itself in the oaken stalls. At that +moment—the worst moment for such a thought—it +suddenly flashed over him that, after all, a wreath of +spring flowers or a chorister's surplice was scarcely worth +suffering martyrdom for. This horrible suggestion, true +essence of an unheroic age, which will not suffer a man to +be absolutely sure of anything, disturbed his prayer as he +knelt down in silence to ask God's blessing. Easter, to be +sure, was lovely enough of itself without the garland, and +Mr Wentworth knew well enough that his white-robed +singers were no immaculate angel-band. It was Satan +himself, surely, and no inferior imp, who shot that sudden +arrow into the young man's heart as he tried to say his +private prayer; for the Curate of St Roque's was not only a +fervent Anglican, but also a young Englishman <i>sans +reproche</i>, with all the sensitive, almost fantastic, delicacy +of honour which belongs to that development of humanity; +and not for a dozen worlds would he have sacrificed a lily +or a surplice on this particular Easter, when all his worldly +hopes hung in the balance. But to think at this crowning +moment that a villanous doubt of the benefit of these +surplices and lilies should seize his troubled heart! for just +then the strains of the organ died away in lengthened +whispers, and Miss Leonora Wentworth, severe and awful, +swept up through the middle aisle. It was under these +terrible circumstances that the Perpetual Curate, with his +heart throbbing and his head aching, began to intone the +morning service on that Easter Sunday, ever after a day +so memorable in the records of St Roque's.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Mr Wentworth's</span> sermon on Easter Sunday was one +which he himself long remembered, though it is doubtful +whether any of his congregation had memories as faithful. +To tell the truth, the young man put a black cross +upon it with his blackest ink, a memorial of meaning +unknown to anybody but himself. It was a curious little +sermon, such as may still be heard in some Anglican +pulpits. Though he had heart and mind enough to conceive +something of those natural depths of divine significance +and human interest, which are the very essence of +the Easter festival, it was not into these that Mr Wentworth +entered in his sermon. He spoke, in very choice +little sentences, of the beneficence of the Church in +appointing such a feast, and of all the beautiful arrangements +she had made for the keeping of it. But even in the +speaking, in the excited state of mind he was in, it +occurred to the young man to see, by a sudden flash of +illumination, how much higher, how much more catholic, +after all, his teaching would have been, could he but have +once ignored the Church, and gone direct, as Nature +bade, to that empty grave in which all the hopes of +humanity had been entombed. He saw it by gleams of that +perverse light which seemed more Satanic than heavenly +in the moments it chose for shining, while he was +preaching his little sermon about the Church and her +beautiful institution of Easter, just as he had seen the non-importance +of his lily-wreath and surplices as he was about +to suffer martyrdom for them. All these circumstances +were hard upon the young man. Looking down straight +into the severe iron-grey eyes of his aunt Leonora, he +could not of course so much as modify a single sentence of +the discourse he was uttering, no more than he could +permit himself to slur over a single monotone of the +service; but that sudden bewildering perception that he +could have done so much better—that the loftiest High-Churchism +of all might have been consistent enough with +Skelmersdale, had he but gone into the heart of the matter—gave +a bitterness to the deeper, unseen current of the +Curate's thoughts.</p> + +<p>Besides, it was terrible to feel that he could not abstract +himself from personal concerns even in the most sacred +duties. He was conscious that the two elder sisters went +away, and that only poor aunt Dora, her weak-minded +ringlets limp with tears, came tremulous to the altar rails. +When the service was over, and the young priest was +disrobing himself, she came to him and gave a spasmodic, +sympathetic, half-reproachful pressure to his hand. "Oh, +Frank, my dear, I did it for the best," said Miss Dora, with +a doleful countenance; and the Perpetual Curate knew +that his doom was sealed. He put the best face he could +upon the matter, having sufficient doubts of his own +wisdom to subdue the high temper of the Wentworths for +that moment at least.</p> + +<p>"What was it you did for the best?" said the Curate of St +Roque's. "I suppose, after all, it was no such great matter +<i>hearing</i> me as you thought; but I told you I was not an +ambitious preacher. This is a day for worship, not for talk."</p> + +<p>"Ah! yes," said Miss Dora; "but oh, Frank, my dear, it +is hard upon me, after all my expectations. It would have +been so nice to have had you at Skelmersdale. I hoped +you would marry Julia Trench, and we should all have +been so happy; and perhaps if I had not begged Leonora +to come just now, thinking it would be so nice to take you +just in your usual way—but she must have known sooner +or later," said poor aunt Dora, looking wistfully in his +face. "Oh, Frank, I hope you don't think I'm to blame."</p> + +<p>"I never should have married Julia Trench," said the +Curate, gloomily. He did not enter into the question of +Miss Dora's guilt or innocence—he gave a glance at the +lilies on the altar, and a sigh. The chances were he would +never marry anybody, but loyalty to Lucy demanded +instant repudiation of any other possible bride. "Where +are you going, aunt Dora; back to the Blue Boar? or will +you come with me?" he said, as they stood together at the +door of St Roque's. Mr Wentworth felt as if he had caught +the beginning threads of a good many different lines of +thought, which he would be glad to be alone to work out.</p> + +<p>"You'll come back with me to the inn to lunch?" said +Miss Dora. "Oh, Frank, my dear, remember your +Christian feelings, and don't make a breach in the family. +It will be bad enough to face your poor dear father, after +he knows what Leonora means to do; and I do so want to +talk to you," said the poor woman, eagerly clinging to his +arm. "You always were fond of your poor aunt Dora, +Frank; when you were quite a little trot you used always +to like me best; and in the holiday times, when you came +down from Harrow, I used always to hear all your troubles. +If you would only have confidence in me now!"</p> + +<p>"But what if I have no troubles to confide?" said Mr +Wentworth; "a man and a boy are very different things. +Come, aunt Dora, I'll see you safe to your inn. What +should I have to grumble about? I have plenty to do, and +it is Easter; and few men can have everything their own +way."</p> + +<p>"You won't acknowledge that you're vexed," said aunt +Dora, almost crying under her veil, "but I can see it all the +same. You always were such a true Wentworth; but if you +only would give in and say that you are disappointed and +angry with us all, I could bear it better, Frank. I would +not feel then that you thought it my fault! And oh, Frank, +dear, you don't consider how disappointed your poor dear +aunt Leonora was! It's just as hard upon us," she continued, +pressing his arm in her eagerness, "as it is upon +you. We had all so set our hearts on having you at +Skelmersdale. Don't you think, if you were giving your +mind to it, you might see things in a different light?" with +another pressure of his arm. "Oh, Frank, what does it +matter, after all, if the heart is right, whether you read the +service in your natural voice, or give that little quaver at +the end? I am sure, for my part—"</p> + +<p>"My dear aunt," said Mr Wentworth, naturally incensed +by this manner of description, "I must be allowed to +say that my convictions are fixed, and not likely to be +altered. I am a priest, and you are—a woman." He +stopped short, with perhaps a little bitterness. It was very +true she was a woman, unqualified to teach, but yet she +and her sisters were absolute in Skelmersdale. He made a +little gulp of his momentary irritation, and walked on in +silence, with Miss Dora's kind wistful hand clinging to his arm.</p> + +<p>"But, dear Frank among us Protestants, you know, +there is no sacerdotal caste," said Miss Dora, opportunely +recollecting some scrap of an Exeter Hall speech. "We are +all kings and priests to God. Oh, Frank, it is Gerald's +example that has led you away. I am sure, before you +went to Oxford you were never at all a ritualist—even +Leonora thought you such a pious boy; and I am sure your +good sense must teach you—" faltered aunt Dora, trying +her sister's grand tone.</p> + +<p>"Hush, hush; I can't have you begin to argue with me; +you are not my aunt Leonora," said the Curate, half +amused in spite of himself. This encouraged the anxious +woman, and, clasping his arm closer than ever, she poured +out all her heart.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank, if you could only modify your views a little! +It is not that there is any difference between your views +and ours, except just in words, my dear. Flowers are very +pretty decorations, and I know you look very nice in your +surplice; and I am sure, for my part, I should not mind—but +then that is not carrying the Word of God to the +people, as Leonora says. If the heart is right, what does it +matter about the altar?" said aunt Dora, unconsciously +falling upon the very argument that had occurred to her +nephew's perplexed mind in the pulpit. "Even though I +was in such trouble, I can't tell you what a happiness it was to +take the sacrament from your hands, my dear, dear boy; +and but for these flowers and things that could do nobody +any good, poor dear Leonora, who is very fond of you, +though perhaps you don't think it, could have had that +happiness too. Oh, Frank, don't you think you could give +up these things that don't matter? If you were just to tell +Leonora you have been thinking it over, and that you see +you've made a mistake, and that in future—"</p> + +<p>"You don't mean to insult me?" said the young man. +"Hush—hush; you don't know what you are saying. Not to +be made Archbishop of Canterbury, instead of Vicar of +Skelmersdale. I don't understand how you could suggest +such a thing to me."</p> + +<p>Miss Dora's veil, which she had partly lifted, here fell +over her face, as it had kept doing all the time she was +speaking—but this time she did not put it back. She was +no longer able to contain herself, but wept hot tears of +distress and vexation, under the flimsy covering of lace. +"No, of course, you will not do it—you will far rather be +haughty, and say it is my fault," said poor Miss Dora. +"We have all so much pride, we Wentworths—and you +never think of our disappointment, and how we all +calculated upon having you at Skelmersdale, and how +happy we were to be, and that you were to marry Julia +Trench—"</p> + +<p>It was just at this moment that the two reached the corner +of Prickett's Lane. Lucy Wodehouse had been down there +seeing the sick woman. She had, indeed, been carrying +her dinner to that poor creature, and was just turning into +Grange Lane, with her blue ribbons hidden under the +grey cloak, and a little basket in her hand. They met full +in the face at this corner, and Miss Dora's words reached +Lucy's ears, and went through and through her with a +little nervous thrill. She had not time to think whether it +was pain or only surprise that moved her, and was not +even self-possessed enough to observe the tremulous pressure +of the Curate's hand, as he shook hands with her, and +introduced his aunt. "I have just been to see the poor +woman at No. 10," said Lucy. "She is very ill to-day. If +you had time, it would be kind of you to see her. I think +she has something on her mind."</p> + +<p>"I will go there before I go to Wharfside," said Mr +Wentworth. "Are you coming down to the service this +afternoon? I am afraid it will be a long service, for there +are all these little Burrowses, you know—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am godmother," said Lucy, and smiled and +gave him her hand again as she passed him while aunt +Dora looked on with curious eyes. The poor Curate +heaved a mighty sigh as he looked after the grey cloak. +Not his the privilege now, to walk with her to the green +door, to take her basket from the soft hand of the merciful +Sister. On the contrary, he had to turn his back upon +Lucy, and walk on with aunt Dora to the inn—at this +moment a symbolical action which seemed to embody his +fate.</p> + +<p>"Where is Wharfside? and who are the little Burrowses? +and what does the young lady mean by being godmother?" +said aunt Dora. "She looks very sweet and nice; but what is +the meaning of that grey cloak? Oh, Frank, I hope you +don't approve of nunneries, and that sort of thing. It is such +foolishness. My dear, the Christian life is very hard, as +your aunt Leonora always says. She says she can't bear to +see people playing at Christianity—"</p> + +<p>"People should not speak of things they don't understand," +said the Perpetual Curate. "Your Exeter-Hall +men, aunt Dora, are like the old ascetics—they try to +make a merit of Christianity by calling it hard and terrible; +but there are some sweet souls in the world, to whom +it comes natural as sunshine in May." And the young +Anglican, with a glance behind him from the corner of his +eye, followed the fair figure, which he believed he was +never, with a clear conscience, to accompany any more. +"Now, here is your inn," he said, after a little pause. +"Wharfside is a district, where I am going presently to +conduct service, and the little Burrowses are a set of little +heathens, to whom I am to administer holy baptism this +Easter Sunday. Good-bye just now."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank, my dear, just come in for a moment, and +tell Leonora—it will show her how wrong she is," said poor +aunt Dora, clinging to his arm.</p> + +<p>"Right or wrong, I am not going into any controversy. +My aunt Leonora knows perfectly well what she is doing," +said the Curate, with the best smile he could muster; and +so shook hands with her resolutely, and walked back again +all the way down Grange Lane, past the green door, to his +own house. Nobody was about the green door at that +particular moment to ask him in to luncheon, as sometimes +happened. He walked down all the way to Mrs +Hadwin's, with something of the sensations of a man who +has just gone through a dreadful operation, and feels, with +a kind of dull surprise after, that everything around him is +just the same as before. He had come through a fiery trial, +though nobody knew of it; and just at this moment, when +he wanted all his strength, how strange to feel that haunting +sense of an unnecessary sacrifice—that troubled new +vein of thought which would be worked out, and which +concerned matters more important than Skelmersdale, +weighty as that was. He took his sermon out of his pocket +when he got home, and marked a cross upon it, as we have +already said; but, being still a young man, he was thankful +to snatch a morsel of lunch, and hasten out again to his +duty, instead of staying to argue the question with himself. +He went to No. 10 Prickett's Lane, and was a long +time with the sick woman, listening to all the woeful tale of +a troubled life, which the poor sick creature had been +contemplating for days and days, in her solitude, through +those strange exaggerated death-gleams which Miss +Leonora would have called "the light of eternity." She +remembered all sorts of sins, great and small, which filled +her with nervous terrors; and it was not till close upon the +hour for the Wharfside service, that the Curate could leave +his tremulous penitent. The schoolroom was particularly +full that day. Easter, perhaps, had touched the hearts—it +certainly had refreshed the toilettes—of the bargemen's +wives and daughters. Some of them felt an inward conviction +that their new ribbons were undoubtedly owing to the +clergyman's influence, and that Tom and Jim would have +bestowed the money otherwise before the Church planted +her pickets in this corner of the enemy's camp; and the +conviction, though not of an elevated description, was a +great deal better than no conviction at all. Mr Wentworth's +little sermon to them was a great improvement +upon his sermon at St Roque's. He told them about the +empty grave of Christ, and how He called the weeping +woman by her name, and showed her the earnest of the +end of all sorrows. There were some people who cried, +thinking of the dead who were still waiting for Easter, +which was more than anybody did when Mr Wentworth +discoursed upon the beautiful institutions of the Church's +year; and a great many of the congregation stayed to see +Tom Burrows's six children come up for baptism, preceded +by the new baby, whose infant claims to Christianity the +Curate had so strongly insisted upon, to the wakening of a +fatherly conscience in the honest bargeman. Lucy +Wodehouse, without her grey cloak, stood at the font, +holding that last tiny applicant for saving grace, while all +the other little heathens were signed with the sacred cross. +And strangely enough, when the young priest and the +young woman stood so near each other, solemnly pledging, +one after another, each little sun-browned, round-eyed +pagan to be Christ's faithful servant and soldier, the cloud +passed away from the firmament of both. Neither of them, +perhaps, was of a very enlightened character of soul. +They believed they were doing a great work for Tom +Burrows's six children, calling God to His promise on their +behalf, and setting the little feet straight for the gates of +the eternal city; and in their young love and faith their +hearts rose. Perhaps it was foolish of Mr Wentworth to +suffer himself to walk home again thereafter, as of old, +with the Miss Wodehouses—but it was so usual, and, after +all, they were going the same way. But it was a very silent +walk, to the wonder of the elder sister, who could not +understand what it meant. "The Wharfside service always +does me good," said Mr Wentworth, with a sigh. "And me, +too," said Lucy; and then they talked a little about the poor +woman in No. 10. But that Easter Sunday was not like +other Sundays, though Miss Wodehouse could not tell why.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Next</span> day the Miss Wentworths made a solemn call at +the Rectory, having known an aunt of Mrs Morgan at +some period of their history, and being much disposed, +besides, with natural curiosity, to ascertain all about their +nephew's circumstances. Their entrance interrupted a +consultation between the Rector and his wife. Mr Morgan +was slightly heated, and had evidently been talking about +something that excited him; while she, poor lady, looked +just sufficiently sympathetic and indignant to withdraw her +mind from that first idea which usually suggested itself on +the entrance of visitors—which was, what could they +possibly think of her if they supposed the carpet, &c., to +be her own choice? Mrs Morgan cast her eye with a +troubled look upon the big card which had been brought to +her—Miss Wentworth, Miss Leonora Wentworth, Miss +Dora Wentworth. "Sisters of his, I suppose, William," she +said in an undertone; "now <i>do</i> be civil, dear." There was no +time for anything more before the three ladies sailed in. +Miss Leonora took the initiative, as was natural.</p> + +<p>"You don't remember us, I daresay," she said, taking +Mrs Morgan's hand; "we used to know your aunt Sidney, +when she lived at the Hermitage. Don't you recollect the +Miss Wentworths of Skelmersdale? Charley Sidney spent +part of his furlough with us last summer, and Ada writes +about you often. We could not be in Carlingford without +coming to see the relation of such a dear friend."</p> + +<p>"I am so glad to see anybody who knows my aunt +Sidney," said Mrs Morgan, with modified enthusiasm. +"Mr Morgan, Miss Wentworth. It was such a dear little +house that Hermitage. I spent some very happy days +there. Oh yes, I recollect Skelmersdale perfectly; but, to +tell the truth, there is one of the clergy in Carlingford +called Wentworth, and I thought it might be some relations +of his coming to call."</p> + +<p>"Just so," said Miss Wentworth, settling herself in the +nearest easy-chair.</p> + +<p>"And so it is," cried Miss Dora; "we are his aunts, dear +boy—we are very fond of him. We came on purpose to see +him. We are so glad to hear that he is liked in Carlingford."</p> + +<p>"Oh—yes," said the Rector's wife, and nobody else took +any notice of Miss Dora's little outburst. As for Mr +Morgan, he addressed Miss Leonora as if she had done +something particularly naughty, and he had a great mind +to give her an imposition. "You have not been very long in +Carlingford, I suppose," said the Rector, as if that were a sin.</p> + +<p>"Only since Saturday," said Miss Leonora. "We came +to see Mr Frank Wentworth, who is at St Roque's. I don't +know what your bishop is about, to permit all those flowers +and candlesticks. For my part, I never disguise my sentiments. +I mean to tell my nephew plainly that his way of +conducting the service is far from being to my mind."</p> + +<p>"Leonora, dear, perhaps Mr Morgan would speak to +Frank about it," interposed Miss Dora, anxiously; "he was +always a dear boy, and advice was never lost upon him. +From one that he respected so much as he must respect +the Rector—"</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon. I quite decline interfering with Mr +Wentworth; he is not at all under my jurisdiction. Indeed," +said the Rector, with a smile of anger, "I might be +more truly said to be under his, for he is good enough to +help in my parish without consulting me; but that is not to +the purpose. I would not for the world attempt to interfere +with St Roque's."</p> + +<p>"Dear, I am sure Mr Wentworth is very nice, and +everything we have seen of him in private we have liked +very much," said Mrs Morgan, with an anxious look at her +husband. She was a good-natured woman, and the handsome +Curate had impressed her favourably, notwithstanding +his misdoings. "As for a little too much of the rubric, I +think that is not a bad fault in a young man. It gets +softened down with a little experience; and I do like +proper solemnity in the services of the Church."</p> + +<p>"I don't call intoning proper solemnity," said Miss +Leonora. "The Church is a missionary institution, that is +my idea. Unless you are really bringing in the perishing +and saving souls, what is the good? and souls will never be +saved by Easter decorations. I don't know what my +nephew may have done to offend you, Mr Morgan; but it +is very sad to us, who have very strong convictions on the +subject, to see him wasting his time so. I daresay there is +plenty of heathenism in Carlingford which might be +attacked in the first place."</p> + +<p>"I prefer not to discuss the subject," said the Rector. +"So long as Mr Wentworth, or any other clergyman, keeps +to his own sphere of duty, I should be the last in the world +to interfere with him."</p> + +<p>"You are offended with Frank," said Miss Leonora, +fixing her iron-grey eyes upon Mr Morgan. "So am I; but I +should be glad if you would tell me all about it. I have +particular reasons for wishing to know. After all, he is only +a young man," she continued, with that instinct of kindred +which dislikes to hear censure from any lips but its own. "I +don't think there can be anything more than inadvertence +in it. I should be glad if you would tell me what you object to +in him. I think it is probable that he may remain a long time +in Carlingford," said Miss Leonora, with charming candour, +"and it would be pleasant if we could help to set him right. +Your advice and experience might be of so much use to +him." She was not aware of the covert sarcasm of her +speech. She did not know that the Rector's actual experience, +though he was half as old again as her nephew, bore no +comparison to that of the Perpetual Curate. She spoke in +good faith and good nature, not moved in her own convictions +of what must be done in respect to Skelmersdale, but +very willing, if that were possible, to do a good turn to +Frank.</p> + +<p>"I am sure, dear, what we have seen of Mr Wentworth +in private, we have liked very much," said the Rector's +sensible wife, with a deprecating glance towards her husband. +The Rector took no notice of the glance; he grew +slightly red in his serious middle-aged face, and cleared +his throat several times before he began to speak.</p> + +<p>"The fact is, I have reason to be dissatisfied with Mr +Wentworth, as regards my own parish," said Mr Morgan: +"personally I have nothing to say against him—quite the +reverse; probably, as you say, it arises from inadvertence, +as he is still a very young man; but—"</p> + +<p>"What has he done?" said Miss Leonora, pricking up +her ears.</p> + +<p>Once more Mr Morgan cleared his throat, but this time +it was to keep down the rising anger of which he was +unpleasantly sensible. "I don't generally enter into such +matters with people whom they don't concern," he said, +with a touch of his natural asperity; "but as you are Mr +Wentworth's relation—. He has taken a step perfectly +unjustifiable in every respect; he has at the present moment +a mission going on in my parish, in entire independence, I +will not say defiance, of me. My dear, it is unnecessary to +look at me so deprecatingly. I am indignant at having such +a liberty taken with me. I don't pretend not to be indignant. +Mr Wentworth is a very young man, and may not know +any better; but it is the most unwarrantable intrusion upon +a clergyman's rights. I beg your pardon, Miss Wentworth: +you have nothing to do with my grievances; but the fact is, +my wife and I were discussing this very unpleasant matter +when you came in."</p> + +<p>"A mission in your parish?" said Miss Leonora, her iron-grey +eyes lighting up with a sparkle which did not look like +indignation; at this point it was necessary that Miss Dora +should throw herself into the breach.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Morgan, I am sure my dear Frank does not +mean it!" cried the unlucky peacemaker; "he would not +for the world do anything to wound anybody's feelings—it +must be a mistake."</p> + +<p>"Mr Morgan would not have mentioned it if we had not +just been talking as you came in," said the Rector's wife, +by way of smoothing down his ruffled temper and giving +him time to recover. "I feel <i>sure</i> it is a mistake, and that +everything will come right as soon as they can talk it over +by themselves. The last Rector was not at all a working +clergyman—and perhaps Mr Wentworth felt it was his +duty—and now I daresay he forgets that it is not his own +parish. It will all come right after a time."</p> + +<p>"But the mission is effective, I suppose, or you would +not object to it?" said Miss Leonora, who, though a very +religious woman, was not a peacemaker; and the Rector, +whose temper was hasty, swallowed the bait. He entered +into his grievances more fully than his wife thought +consistent with his dignity. She sat with her eyes fixed +upon the floor, tracing the objectionable pattern on the +carpet with her foot, but too much vexed for the moment +to think of those bouquets which were so severe a +cross to her on ordinary occasions. Perhaps she was +thinking secretly to herself how much better one knows a +man after being married to him three months than after +being engaged to him ten years; but the discovery that he +was merely a man after all, with very ordinary defects, +did not lessen her loyalty. She sat with her eyes bent upon +the carpet, feeling a little hot and uncomfortable as her +husband disclosed his weakness, and watching her opportunities +to rush in and say a softening word now and then. +The chances were, perhaps, on the whole, that the wife +grew <i>more</i> loyal, if that were possible, as she perceived the +necessity of standing by him and backing him out. The +Rector went very fully into the subject, being drawn out +by Miss Leonora's questions, and betrayed an extent of +information strangely opposed to the utter ignorance +which he had displayed at Mr Wodehouse's party. He +knew the hours of Mr Wentworth's services, and the +number of people who attended, and even about Tom +Burrows's six children who had been baptised the day +before. Somehow Mr Morgan took this last particular as a +special offence; it was this which had roused him beyond +his usual self-control. Six little heathens brought into the +Christian fold in his own parish without the permission of +the Rector! It was indeed enough to try any clergyman's +temper. Through the entire narrative Miss Dora broke in +now and then with a little wail expressive of her general +dismay and grief, and certainty that her dear Frank did +not mean it. Mrs Morgan repeated apart to Miss Wentworth +with a troubled brow the fact that all they had seen +of Mr Wentworth in private they had liked very much; to +which aunt Cecilia answered, "Quite so," with her beautiful +smile; while Miss Leonora sat and listened, putting artful +questions, and fixing the heated Rector with that iron-grey +eye, out of which the sparkle of incipient light had not +faded. Mr Morgan naturally said a great deal more than +he meant to say, and after it was said he was sorry; +but he did not show the latter sentiment except by silence +and an uneasy rustling about the room just before the Miss +Wentworths rose to go—a sign apparent to his wife, +though to nobody else. He gave Miss Wentworth his arm +to the door with an embarrassed courtesy. "If you are +going to stay any time at Carlingford, I trust we shall see +more of you," said Mr Morgan: "I ought to beg your +pardon for taking up so much time with my affairs;" and +the Rector was much taken aback when Miss Wentworth +answered, "Thank you, that is just what I was thinking." +He went back to his troubled wife in great perplexity. +What was it that was just what she was thinking?—that he +would see more of them, or that he had spoken too much of +his own affairs?</p> + +<p>"You think I have been angry and made an idiot of +myself," said Mr Morgan to his wife, who was standing +looking from a safe distance through the curtains at the +three ladies, who were holding a consultation with their +servant out of the window of the solemn chariot provided +by the Blue Boar, as to where they were to go next.</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, dear; but I wish you had not said quite so +much about Mr Wentworth," said the Rector's wife, +seizing, with female art, on a cause for her annoyance +which would not wound her Welshman's <i>amour propre</i>, +"for I rather think he is dependent on his aunts. They +have the living of Skelmersdale, I know; and I remember +now that their nephew was to have had it. I hope this +won't turn them against him, dear," said Mrs Morgan, +who did not care the least in the world about Skelmersdale, +looking anxiously in her husband's face.</p> + +<p>This was the climax of the Rector's trouble. "Why did +not you tell me that before?" he said, with conjugal +injustice, and went off to his study with a disturbed mind, +thinking that perhaps he had injured his own chances of +getting rid of the Perpetual Curate. If Mrs Morgan had +permitted herself to soliloquise after he was gone, the +matter of her thoughts might have been interesting; but as +neither ladies nor gentlemen in the nineteenth century are +given to that useful medium of disclosing their sentiments, +the veil of privacy must remain over the mind of the +Rector's wife. She got her gardening gloves and scissors, +and went out immediately after, and had an animated +discussion with the gardener about the best means of +clothing that bit of wall, over which every railway train +was visible which left or entered Carlingford. That +functionary was of opinion that when the lime-trees +"growed a bit" all would be right: but Mrs Morgan was +reluctant to await the slow processes of nature. She forgot +her vexations about Mr Wentworth in consideration of the +still more palpable inconvenience of the passing train.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Miss Dora Wentworth</span> relapsed into suppressed +sobbing when the three ladies were once more on their +way. Between each little access a few broken words fell +from the poor lady's lips. "I am sure dear Frank did not +mean it," she said; it was all the plea his champion could +find for him.</p> + +<p>"He did not mean what? to do his duty and save souls?" +said Miss Leonora—"is that what he didn't mean? It looks +very much as if he did, though—as well as he knew how."</p> + +<p>"Quite so, Leonora," said Miss Wentworth.</p> + +<p>"But he could not mean to vex the Rector," said Miss +Dora—"my poor dear Frank: of course he meant it for the +very best. I wonder you don't think so, Leonora—you who +are so fond of missions. I told you what I heard him saying to +the young lady—all about the sick people he was going to +visit, and the children. He is a faithful shepherd, though +you won't think so; and I am sure he means nothing but—"</p> + +<p>"His duty, I think," said the iron-grey sister, resolutely +indifferent to Miss Dora's little sniffs, and turning her +gaze out of the window, unluckily just at the moment +when the carriage was passing Masters's shop, where some +engravings were hanging of a suspiciously devotional +character. The name over the door, and the aspect of the +shop-window, were terribly suggestive, and the fine profile +of the Perpetual Curate was just visible within to the keen +eyes of his aunt. Miss Dora, for her part, dried hers, and, +beginning to see some daylight, addressed herself +anxiously to the task of obscuring it, and damaging once +more her favourite's chance.</p> + +<p>"Ah, Leonora, if he had but a sphere of his own," cried +Miss Dora, "where he would have other things to think of +than the rubric, and decorations, and sisterhoods! I don't +wish any harm to poor dear old Mr Shirley, I am sure; but +when Frank is in the Rectory—"</p> + +<p>"I thought you understood that Frank would not do for +the Rectory," said Miss Leonora. "Sisterhoods!—look here, +there's a young lady in a grey cloak, and I think she's going +into <i>that</i> shop: if Frank carries on that sort of thing, I shall +think him a greater fool than ever. Who is that girl?"</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I don't know, dear," said Miss Dora, with +unexpected wisdom. And she comforted her conscience +that she did not know, for she had forgotten Lucy's name. +So there was no tangible evidence to confirm Miss +Leonora's doubts, and the carriage from the Blue Boar +rattled down Prickett's Lane to the much amazement of +that locality. When they got to the grimy canal-banks, +Miss Leonora stopped the vehicle and got out. She +declined the attendance of her trembling sister, and +marched along the black pavement, dispersing with the +great waves of her drapery the wondering children about, +who swarmed as children will swarm in such localities. +Arrived at the schoolroom, Miss Leonora found sundry +written notices hung up in a little wooden frame inside the +open door. All sorts of charitable businesses were carried +on about the basement of the house; and a curt little notice +about the Provident Society diversified the list of services +which was hung up for the advantage of the ignorant. +Clearly the Curate of St Roque's meant it. "As well as he +knows how," his aunt allowed to herself, with a softening +sentiment; but, pushing her inquiries further, was shown +up to the schoolroom, and stood pondering by the side of +the reading-desk, looking at the table which was contrived +to be so like an altar. The Curate, who could not have +dreamed of such a visit, and whose mind had been much +occupied and indifferent to externals on the day before, +had left various things lying about, which were carefully +collected for him upon a bench. Among them was a little +pocket copy of Thomas à Kempis, from which, when the +jealous aunt opened it, certain little German prints, such +as were to be had by the score at Masters's, dropped out, +some of them unobjectionable enough. But if the Good +Shepherd could not be found fault with, the feelings of +Miss Leonora may be imagined when the meek face of a +monkish saint, inscribed with some villanous Latin inscription, +a legend which began with the terrible words <i>Ora pro +nobis</i>, became suddenly visible to her troubled eyes. She +put away the book as if it had stung her, and made a +precipitate retreat. She shook her head as she descended +the stair—she re-entered the carriage in gloomy silence. +When it returned up Prickett's Lane, the three ladies again +saw their nephew, this time entering the door of No. 10. +He had his prayer-book under his arm, and Miss Leonora +seized upon this professional symbol to wreak her wrath +upon it. "I wonder if he can't pray by a sick woman +without his prayer-book?" she cried. "I never was so +provoked in my life. How is it he doesn't know better? His +father is not pious, but he isn't a Puseyite, and old uncle +Wentworth was very sound—he was brought up under the +pure Gospel. How is that the boys are so foolish, Dora?" +said Miss Leonora, sharply; "it must be your doing. You +have told them tales and things, and put true piety out of +their head."</p> + +<p>"My doing!" said Miss Dora, faintly; but she was too +much startled by the suddenness of the attack to make any +coherent remonstrance. Miss Leonora tossed back her +angry head, and pursued that inspiration, finding it a +relief in her perplexity.</p> + +<p>"It must be <i>all</i> your doing," she said. "How can I tell +that you are not a Jesuit in disguise? one has read of such a +thing. The boys were as good, nice, pious boys as one +could wish to see; and there's Gerald on the point of +perversion, and Frank—I tell you, Dora, it must be your +fault."</p> + +<p>"That was always my opinion," said Miss Cecilia; and +the accused, after a feeble attempt at speech, could find +nothing better to do than to drop her veil once more and +cry under it. It was very hard, but she was not quite +unaccustomed to it. However, the discoveries of the day +were important enough to prevent the immediate departure +which Miss Leonora had intended. She wrote a note +with her own hands to her nephew, asking him to dinner. +"We meant to have gone away to-day, but should like to +see you first," she said in her note. "Come and dine—we +mayn't have anything pleasant to say, but I don't suppose +you expect that. It's a pity we don't see eye to eye." Such +was the intimation received by Mr Wentworth when he +got home, very tired, in the afternoon. He had been +asking himself whether, under the circumstances, it would +not be proper of him to return some books of Mr +Wodehouse's which he had in his possession, of course by +way of breaking off his too familiar, too frequent intercourse. +He had been representing to himself that he would +make this call after their dinner would be over, at the hour +when Mr Wodehouse reposed in his easy-chair, and the +two sisters were generally to be found alone in the +drawing-room. Perhaps he might have an opportunity of +intimating the partial farewell he meant to take of them. +When he got Miss Leonora's note, the Curate's countenance +clouded over. He said, "Another night lost," with +indignant candour. It was hard enough to give up his +worldly prospects, but he thought he had made up his +mind to that. However, refusal was impossible. It was still +daylight when he went up Grange Lane to the Blue Boar. +He was early, and went languidly along the well-known +road. Nobody was about at that hour. In those closed, +embowered houses, people were preparing for dinner, the +great event of the day, and Mr Wentworth was aware of +that. Perhaps he had expected to see somebody—Mr +Wodehouse going home, most likely, in order that he +might mention his own engagement, and account for his +failure in the chance evening call which had become so +much a part of his life. But no one appeared to bear his +message. He went lingering past the green door, and up +the silent deserted road. At the end of Grange Lane, just +in the little unsettled transition interval which interposed +between its aristocratic calm and the bustle of George +Street, on the side next Prickett's Lane, was a quaint little +shop, into which Mr Wentworth strayed to occupy the +time. This was Elsworthy's, who, as is well known, was +then clerk at St Roque's. Elsworthy himself was in his +shop that Easter Monday, and so was his wife and little +Rosa, who was a little beauty. Rosa and her aunt had just +returned from an excursion, and a prettier little apparition +could not be seen than that dimpled rosy creature, with +her radiant half-childish looks, her bright eyes, and soft +curls of dark-brown hair. Even Mr Wentworth gave a +second glance at her as he dropped languidly into a chair, +and asked Elsworthy if there was any news. Mrs +Elsworthy, who had been telling the adventures of the +holiday to her goodman, gathered up her basket of eggs +and her nosegay, and made the clergyman a little curtsy +as she hurried away; for the clerk's wife was a highly +respectable woman, and knew her own place. But Rosa, +who was only a kind of kitten, and had privileges, stayed. +Mr Wentworth was by far the most magnificent figure she +had ever seen in her little life. She looked at him with awe +out of her bright eyes, and thought he looked like the +prince in the fairy tales.</p> + +<p>"Any news, sir? There aint much to call news, sir—not +in a place like this," said Mr Elsworthy. "Your respected +aunts, sir, 'as been down at the schoolroom. I haven't +heard anything else as I could suppose you didn't know."</p> + +<p>"My aunts!" cried the Curate; "how do you know anything +about my aunts?" Mr Elsworthy smiled a complacent +and familiar smile.</p> + +<p>"There's so many a-coming and a-going here that I +know most persons as comes into Carlingford," said he; +"and them three respected ladies is as good as a pictur. I +saw them a-driving past and down Prickett's Lane. They +was as anxious to know all about it as—as was to be +expected in the circumstances," said Mr Elsworthy, failing +of a metaphor; "and I wish you your 'ealth and +'appiness, sir, if all as I hear is true."</p> + +<p>"It's a good wish," said the Curate; "thank you, +Elsworthy; but what you heard might not be true."</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, it looks more than likely," said the clerk; "as +far as I've seen in my experience, ladies don't go inquiring +into a young gentleman's ways, not without some reason. +If they was young ladies, and noways related, we know +what we'd think, sir; but being old ladies, and aunts, it's +equally as clear. For my part, Mr Wentworth, my worst +wish is, that when you come into your fortune, it mayn't +lead you away from St Roque's—not after everything is +settled so beautiful, and not a thing wanted but some +stained glass, as I hear a deal of people say, to make it as +perfect a little church—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is very true; a painted window is very much +wanted," said Mr Wentworth, thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps there's one o' the ladies, sir, as has some +friend she'd like to put up a memorial to," said Mr +Elsworthy, in insinuating tones. "A window is a deal +cheerfuller a memorial than a tombstone, and it couldn't +be described the improvement it would be to the church. +I'm sorry to hear Mr Wodehouse aint quite so well as his +usual to-night; a useful man like he is, would be a terrible +loss to Carlingford; not as it's anything alarming, as far as +I can hear, but being a stout man, it aint a safe thing his +being took so sudden. I've heard the old doctor say, sir, as +a man of a full 'abit might be took off at once, when a +spare man would fight through. It would be a sad thing for +his family, sir," said Mr Elsworthy, tying up a bundle of +newspapers with a very serious face.</p> + +<p>"Good heavens, Elsworthy, how you talk!" said the +alarmed Curate. "What do you mean?—is Mr Wodehouse +ill?—seriously ill?"</p> + +<p>"Not serious, as I knows of," said the clerk, with +solemnity; "but being a man of a full 'abit of body—I +daresay as the town would enter into it by subscription if it +was proposed as a memorial to <i>him</i>, for he's much respected +in Carlingford is Mr Wodehouse. I see him a-going past, +sir, at five o'clock, which is an hour earlier than common, +and he was looking flabby, that's how he was looking. I +don't know a man as would be a greater loss to his family; +and they aint been without their troubles either, poor +souls."</p> + +<p>"I should be sorry to think that it was necessary to +sacrifice Mr Wodehouse for the sake of our painted +window," said the Curate, "as that seems what you mean. +Send over this note for me please, as I have not time to call. +No, certainly, don't send Rosa; that child is too young and +too—too pretty to be out by herself at night. Send a boy. +Haven't you got a boy?—there is a very nice little fellow +that I could recommend to you," said Mr Wentworth, as +he hastily scribbled his note with a pencil, "whose mother +lives in Prickett's Lane."</p> + +<p>"Thank <i>you</i>, sir, all the same; but I hope I don't need to +go into that neighbourhood for good service," said Mr +Elsworthy: "as for Rosa, I could trust her anywhere; and I +have a boy, sir, as is the best boy that ever lived—a real +English boy, that is. Sam, take this to Mr Wodehouse's +directly, and wait for an answer. No answer?—very well, +sir. You needn't wait for no answer, Sam. That's a boy, +sir, I could trust with untold gold. His mother's a Dissenter, +it is true, but the principles of that boy is beautiful. I hope +you haven't mentioned, sir, as I said Mr Wodehouse was +took bad? It was between ourselves, Mr Wentworth. +Persons don't like, especially when they've got to that +age, and are of a full 'abit of body, to have every little +attack made a talk about. You'll excuse me mentioning it, +sir, but it was as between ourselves."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you'd like me to show you my note," said the +Curate, with a smile; which, indeed, Elsworthy would +have very much liked, could he have ventured to say so. +Mr Wentworth was but too glad of an excuse to write and +explain his absence. The note was not to Lucy, however, +though various little epistles full of the business of the +district had passed between the two:—</p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">Dear Miss W.</span>,—I hear your father is not quite well. I +can't call just now, as I am going to dine with my aunts, +who are at the Blue Boar; but, if you will pardon the +lateness of the hour, I will call as I return to ask for him.—Ever +yours,</p> +<p class="right">"<span class="smallcaps">F. C. Wentworth.</span>"</p> + + +<p>Such was the Curate's note. While he scribbled it, little +Rosa stood apart watching him with admiring eyes. He +had said she was too pretty to be sent across Grange Lane +by herself at this hour, though it was still no more than +twilight; and he looked up at her for an instant as he said +the words,—quite enough to set Rosa's poor little heart +beating with childish romantical excitement. If she could +but have peeped into the note to see what he said!—for +perhaps, after all, there might not be anything "between" +him and Miss Lucy—and perhaps— The poor little thing +stood watching, deaf to her aunt's call, looking at the +strange ease with which that small epistle was written, and +thinking it half divine to have such mastery of words and +pen. Mr Wentworth threw it to Sam as if it were a trifle; +but Rosa's lively imagination could already conceive the +possibility of living upon such trifles and making existence +out of them; so the child stood with her pretty curls about +her ears, and her bright eyes gleaming dewy over the +fair, flushed, rosebud cheeks, in a flutter of roused and +innocent imagination anticipating her fate. As for Mr +Wentworth, it is doubtful whether he saw Rosa, as he +swung himself round upon the stool he was seated on, and +turned his face towards the door. Somehow he was comforted +in his mind by the conviction that it was his duty to +call at Mr Wodehouse's as he came back. The evening +brightened up and looked less dismal. The illness of the +respected father of the house did not oppress the young +man. He thought not of the sick-room, but of the low chair +in one corner, beside the work-table where Lucy had +always basketfuls of sewing in hand. He could fancy he saw +the work drop on her knee, and the blue eyes raised. It was +a pretty picture that he framed for himself as he looked out +with a half smile into the blue twilight through the open +door of Elsworthy's shop. And it was clearly his duty to call. +He grew almost jocular in the exhilaration of his spirits.</p> + +<p>"The Miss Wentworths don't approve of memorial windows, +Elsworthy," he said; "and, indeed, if you think it +necessary to cut off one of the chief people in Carlingford +by way of supplying St Roque's with a little painted glass—"</p> + +<p>"No, sir—no, no, sir; you're too hard upon me—there +wasn't no such meaning in my mind; but I don't make no +question the ladies were pleased with the church," said +Elsworthy, with the satisfaction of a man who had helped to +produce an entirely triumphant effect. "I don't pretend to +be a judge myself of what you call 'igh art, Mr Wentworth; +but if I might venture an opinion, the altar was beautiful; +and we won't say nothing about the service, considering, +sir—if you won't be offended at putting them together, as +one is so far inferior—that both you and me—"</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth laughed and moved off his chair. "We +were not appreciated in this instance," he said, with an +odd comic look, and then went off into a burst of laughter, +which Mr Elsworthy saw no particular occasion for. Then +he took up his glove, which he had taken off to write the +note, and, nodding a kindly good-night to little Rosa, who +stood gazing after him with all her eyes, went away to the +Blue Boar. The idea, however, of his own joint performance +with Mr Elsworthy not only tickled the Curate, but gave +him a half-ashamed sense of the aspect in which he might +himself appear to the eyes of matter-of-fact people who +differed with him. The joke had a slight sting, which +brought his laughter to an end. He went up through the +lighted street to the inn, wishing the dinner over, and +himself on his way back again to call at Mr Wodehouse's. +For, to tell the truth, by this time he had almost exhausted +Skelmersdale, and, feeling in himself not much different +now from what he was when his hopes were still green, +had begun to look upon life itself with a less troubled eye, +and to believe in other chances which might make Lucy's +society practicable once more. It was in this altered state +of mind that he presented himself before his aunts. He +was less self-conscious, less watchful, more ready to amuse +them, if that might happen to be possible, and in reality +much more able to cope with Miss Leonora than when he +had been more anxious about her opinion. He had not +been two minutes in the room before all the three ladies +perceived this revolution, and each in her own mind +attempted to account for it. They were experienced women +in their way, and found a variety of reasons; but as none of +them were young, and as people <i>will</i> forget how youth +feels, not one of them divined the fact that there was no +reason, but that this improvement of spirits arose solely +from the fact that the Perpetual Curate had been for two +whole days miserable about Skelmersdale, and had +exhausted all his powers of misery—and that now youth +had turned the tables, and he was still to see Lucy tonight.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">Your</span> Rector is angry at some of your proceedings," +said Miss Leonora. "I did not think a man of your views +would have cared for missionary work. I should have +supposed that you would think that vulgar, and Low-Church, +and Evangelical. Indeed, I thought I heard you +say you didn't believe in preaching, Frank?—neither do I, +when a man preaches the Tracts for the Times. I was +surprised to hear what you were doing at the place they +call Wharfside."</p> + +<p>"First let me correct you in two little inaccuracies," said +Mr Wentworth, blandly, as he peeled his orange. "The +Rector of Carlingford is not <i>my</i> rector, and I don't preach +the Tracts for the Times. Let us always be particular, my +dear aunt, as to points of fact."</p> + +<p>"Exactly so," said Miss Leonora, grimly; "but, at the +same time, as there seems no great likelihood of your +leaving Carlingford, don't you think it would be wise to +cultivate friendly relations with the Rector?" said the iron-grey +inexorable aunt, looking full in his eyes as she spoke. +So significant and plain a statement took for an instant the +colour out of the Curate's cheeks—he pared his orange +very carefully while he regained his composure, and it was +at least half a minute before he found himself at leisure to +reply. Miss Dora of course seized upon the opportunity, +and, by way of softening matters, interposed in her unlucky +person to make peace.</p> + +<p>"But, my dear boy, I said I was sure you did not mean +it," said Miss Dora; "I told Mr Morgan I felt convinced it +could be explained. Nobody knows you so well as I do. +You were always high-spirited from a child, and never +would give in; but I know very well you never could mean +it, Frank."</p> + +<p>"Mean it?" said the Curate, with sparkling eyes: "what +do you take me for, aunt Dora? Do you know what it is we +are talking of? The question is, whether a whole lot of +people, fathers and children, shall be left to live like +beasts, without reverence for God or man, or shall be +brought within the pale of the Church, and taught their +duty? And you think I don't mean it? I mean it as much as +my brother Charley meant it at the Redan," said young +Wentworth, with a glow of suppressed enthusiasm, and +that natural pride in Charley (who got the Cross for +valour) which was common to all the Wentworths. But +when he saw his aunt Leonora looking at him, the +Perpetual Curate stood to his arms again. "I have still to +learn that the Rector has anything to do with it," said the +young Evangelist of Wharfside.</p> + +<p>"It is in his parish, and he thinks he has," said Miss +Leonora. "I wish you could see your duty more clearly, +Frank. You seem to me, you know, to have a kind of zeal, +but not according to knowledge. If you were carrying the +real Gospel to the poor people, I shouldn't be disposed to +blame you; for the limits of a parish are but poor things to +pause for when souls are perishing; but to break the law +for the sake of diffusing the rubric and propagating +Tractarianism—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Leonora, how can you be so harsh and cruel?" +cried Miss Dora; "only think what you are doing. I don't +say anything about disappointing Frank, and perhaps +injuring his prospects for life; for, to be sure, he is a true +Wentworth, and won't acknowledge that; but think of my +poor dear brother, with so many sons as he has to provide +for, and so much on his mind; and think of ourselves and +all that we have planned so often. Only think what you +have talked of over and over; how nice it would be when +he was old enough to take the Rectory, and marry Julia +Trench—"</p> + +<p>"Aunt Dora," said the Curate, rising from the table. "I +shall have to go away if you make such appeals on my +behalf. And besides, it is only right to tell you that, +whatever my circumstances were, I never could nor would +marry Julia Trench. It is cruel and unjust to bring in her +name. Don't let us hear any more of this, if you have any +regard for me."</p> + +<p>"Quite so, Frank," said Miss Wentworth; "that is exactly +what I was thinking." Miss Cecilia was not in the habit of +making demonstrations, but she put out her delicate old +hand to point her nephew to his seat again, and gave a soft +slight pressure to his as she touched it. Old Miss Wentworth +was a kind of dumb lovely idol to her nephews; she rarely +said anything to them, but they worshipped her all the +same for her beauty and those languid tendernesses which +she showed them once in ten years or so. The Perpetual +Curate was much touched by this manifestation. He +kissed his old aunt's beautiful hand as reverently as if it +had been a saint's. "I knew you would understand me," +he said, looking gratefully at her lovely old face; which +exclamation, however, was a simple utterance of gratitude, +and would not have borne investigation. When he +had resumed his seat and his orange, Miss Leonora cleared +her throat for a grand address.</p> + +<p>"Frank might as well tell us he would not have +Skelmersdale," she said. "Julia Trench has quite other +prospects, I am glad to say, though Dora talks like a fool +on this subject as well as on many others. Mr Shirley is not +dead yet, and I don't think he means to die, for my part; +and Julia would never leave her uncle. Besides, I don't +think any inducement in the world would make her disguise +herself like a Sister of Mercy. I hope she knows +better. And it is a pity that Frank should learn to think of +Skelmersdale as if it were a family living," continued Miss +Leonora. "For my part, I think people detached from +immediate ties as we are, are under all the greater responsibility. +But as you are likely to stay in Carlingford, +Frank, perhaps we could help you with the Rector," she +concluded blandly, as she ate her biscuit. The Curate, +who was also a Wentworth, had quite recovered himself +ere this speech was over, and proved himself equal to the +occasion.</p> + +<p>"If the Rector objects to what I am doing, I daresay he +will tell me of it," said Mr Wentworth, with indescribable +suavity. "I had the consent of the two former rectors to my +mission in their parish, and I don't mean to give up such a +work without a cause. But I am equally obliged to you, my +dear aunt, and I hope Mr Shirley will live for ever. How +long are you going to stay in Carlingford? Some of the +people would like to call on you, if you remain longer. +There are some great friends of mine here; and as I have +every prospect of being perpetually the Curate, as you +kindly observe, perhaps it might be good for me if I was +seen to have such unexceptionable relationships—"</p> + +<p>"Satire is lost upon me," said Miss Leonora, "and we +are going to-morrow. Here comes the coffee. I did not +think it had been so late. We shall leave by an early train, +and you can come and see us off, if you have time."</p> + +<p>"I shall certainly find time," said the nephew, with +equal politeness; "and now you will permit me to say +good-night, for I have a—one of my sick people to visit. I +heard he was ill only as I came here, and had not time to +call," added the Curate, with unnecessary explanitoriness, +and took leave of his aunt Cecilia, who softly put +something into his hand as she bade him good-night. Miss +Dora, for her part, went with him to the door, and +lingered leaning on his arm, down the long passage, all +unaware, poor lady, that his heart was beating with impatience +to get away, and that the disappointment for +which she wanted to console him had at the present +moment not the slightest real hold upon his perverse +heart. "Oh, my dear boy, I hope you don't think it's my +fault," said Miss Dora, with tears. "It must have come to +this, dear, sooner or later: you see, poor Leonora has such +a sense of responsibility; but it is very hard upon us, +Frank, who love you so much, that she should always take +her own way."</p> + +<p>"Then why don't you rebel?" said the Curate, who, in +the thought of seeing Lucy, was exhilarated, and dared to +jest even upon the awful power of his aunt. "You are two +against one; why don't you take it into your own hands +and rebel?"</p> + +<p>Miss Dora repeated the words with an alarmed quiver. +"Rebel! oh, Frank, dear, do you think we could? To be +sure, we are co-heiresses, and have just as good a right as +she has; and for your sake, my dear boy," said the +troubled woman, "oh, Frank, I wish you would tell me +what to do! I never should dare to contradict Leonora with +no one to stand by me; and then, if anything happened, +you would all think I had been to blame," said poor aunt +Dora, clinging to his arm. She made him walk back and +back again through the long passage, which was sacred to +the chief suite of apartments at the Blue Boar. "We have +it all to ourselves, and nobody can see us here; and oh, my +dear boy, if you would only tell me what I ought to do?" +she repeated, with wistful looks of appeal. Mr Wentworth +was too good-hearted to show the impatience with which +he was struggling. He satisfied her as well as he could, and +said good-night half-a-dozen times. When he made his +escape at last, and emerged into the clear blue air of the +spring night, the Perpetual Curate had no such sense of +disappointment and failure in his mind as the three ladies +supposed. Miss Leonora's distinct intimation that Skelmersdale +had passed out of the region of probabilities, had +indeed tingled through him at the moment it was uttered; +but just now he was going to see Lucy, anticipating with +impatience the moment of coming into her presence, and +nothing in the world could have dismayed him utterly. He +went down the road very rapidly, glad to find that it was +still so early, that the shopkeepers in George Street were +but just putting up their shutters, and that there was still +time for an hour's talk in that bright drawing-room. Little +Rosa was standing at the door of Elsworthy's shop, looking +out into the dark street as he passed; and he said, "A +lovely night, Rosa," as he went by. But the night was +nothing particular in itself, only lovely to Mr Wentworth, +as embellished with Lucy shining over it, like a distant +star. Perhaps he had never in his life felt so glad that he +was going to see her, so eager for her presence, as that +night which was the beginning of the time when it would +be no longer lawful for him to indulge in her society. He +heaved a big sigh as that thought occurred to him, but it +did not diminish the flush of conscious happiness; and in +this mood he went down Grange Lane, with light +resounding steps, to Mr Wodehouse's door.</p> + +<p>But Mr Wentworth started with a very strange sensation +when the door was stealthily, noiselessly opened to +him before he could ring. He could not see who it was that +called him in the darkness; but he felt that he had been +watched for, and that the door was thrown open very +hurriedly to prevent him from making his usual summons +at the bell. Such an incident was incomprehensible. He +went into the dark garden like a man in a dream, with a +horrible vision of Archimage and the false Una somehow +stealing upon his mind, he could not tell how. It was quite +dark inside, for the moon was late of rising that night, and +the faint stars threw no effectual lustre down upon the +trees. He had to grope before him to know where he was +going, asking in a troubled voice, "Who is there? What is +the matter?" and falling into more and more profound +bewilderment and uneasiness.</p> + +<p>"Hush, hush, oh hush!—Oh, Mr Wentworth, it is I—I +want to speak to you," said an agitated voice beside him. +"Come this way—this way; I don't want any one to hear +us." It was Miss Wodehouse who thus pitifully addressed +the amazed Curate. She laid a tremulous hand on his arm, +and drew him deeper into the shadows—into that walk +where the limes and tall lilac-bushes grew so thickly. Here +she came to a pause, and the sound of the terrified panting +breath in the silence alarmed him more and more.</p> + +<p>"Is Mr Wodehouse ill? What has happened?" said the +astonished young man. The windows of the house were +gleaming hospitably over the dark garden, without any +appearance of gloom—the drawing-room windows +especially, which he knew so well, brightly lighted, one of +them open, and the sound of the piano and Lucy's voice +stealing out like a celestial reality into the darkness. By +the time he had become fully sensible of all these particulars +his agitated companion had found her breath.</p> + +<p>"Mr Wentworth, don't think me mad," said Miss Wodehouse; +"I have come out to speak to you, for I am in great +distress. I don't know what to do unless you will help me. +Oh no, don't look at the house—nobody knows in the +house; I would die rather than have them know. Hush, +hush! don't make any noise. Is that some one looking out +at the door?"</p> + +<p>And just then the door was opened, and Mr Wodehouse's +sole male servant looked out, and round the +garden, as if he had heard something to excite his curiosity +or surprise. Miss Wodehouse grasped the arm of the +Perpetual Curate, and held him with an energy which was +almost violence. "Hush, hush, hush," she said, with her +voice almost at his ear. The excitement of this mild +woman, the perfectly inexplicable mystery of the +meeting, overwhelmed young Wentworth. He could think +of nothing less than that she had lost her senses, and in his +turn he took her hands and held her fast.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter? I cannot tell you how anxious, how +distressed I am. What has happened?" said the young man, +under his breath.</p> + +<p>"My father has some suspicion," she answered, after a +pause—"he came home early to-day looking ill. You heard +of it, Mr Wentworth—it was your note that decided me. +Oh, heaven help us! it is so hard to know what to do. I +have never been used to act for myself, and I feel as +helpless as a baby. The only comfort I have was that it +happened on Easter Sunday," said the poor gentlewoman, +incoherently; "and oh! if it should prove a rising from the +dead! If you saw me, Mr Wentworth, you would see I look +ten years older; and I can't tell you how it is, but I think +my father has suspicions;—he looked so ill—oh, so ill—when +he came home to-night. Hush! hush! did you hear +anything? I daren't tell Lucy; not that I couldn't trust her, +but it is cruel when a young creature is happy, to let her +know such miseries. Oh, Mr Wentworth, I daresay I am +not telling you what it is, after all. I don't know what I am +saying—wait till I can think. It was on Easter Sunday, +after we came home from Wharfside; you remember we +all came home together, and both Lucy and you were so +quiet. I could not understand how it was you were so +quiet, but I was not thinking of any trouble—and then all +at once there he was."</p> + +<p>"Who?" said the Curate, forgetting caution in his bewilderment.</p> + +<p>Once more the door opened, and John appeared on the +steps, this time with a lantern and the watch-dog, a great +brown mastiff, by his side, evidently with the intention of +searching the garden for the owners of those furtive voices. +Mr Wentworth drew the arm of his trembling companion +within his own. "I don't know what you want of me, but +whatever it is, trust to me like—like a brother," he said, +with a sigh. "But now compose yourself; we must go into +the house: it will not do for you to be found here." He led +her up the gravel-walk into the light of the lantern, which +the vigilant guardian of the house was flashing among the +bushes as he set out upon his rounds. John fell back +amazed but respectful when he saw his mistress and the +familiar visitor. "Beg your pardon, ma'am, but I knew +there was voices, and I didn't know as any of the family +was in the garden," said the man, discomfited. It was all +Mr Wentworth could do to hold up the trembling figure by +his side. As John retreated, she gathered a little fortitude. +Perhaps it was easier for her to tell her hurried tremulous +story, as he guided <i>her</i> back to the house, than it would +have been in uninterrupted leisure and quiet. The family +tragedy fell in broken sentences from her lips, as the +Curate bent down his astonished ear to listen. He was +totally unprepared for the secret which only her helplessness +and weakness and anxiety to serve her father could +have drawn from Miss Wodehouse's lips; and it had to be +told so hurriedly that Mr Wentworth scarcely knew what +it was, except a terrible unsuspected shadow overhanging +the powerful house, until he had time to think it all over. +There was no such time at this moment. His trembling +companion left him as soon as they reached the house, to +"compose herself," as she said. When he saw her face in +the light of the hall lamp it was ghastly, and quivering +with agitation, looking not ten years, as she said, but a +hundred years older than when, in the sweet precision of +her Sunday dress and looks, old Miss Wodehouse had +bidden him good-bye at the green door. He went up to the +drawing-room, notwithstanding, with as calm a countenance +as he himself could collect, to pay the visit which, +in this few minutes, had so entirely changed in character. +Mr Wentworth felt as if he saw everything exactly as he +had pictured it to himself half an hour ago. Lucy, who had +left the piano, was seated in her low chair again, not +working, but talking to Mr Wodehouse, who lay on the +sofa, looking a trifle less rosy than usual, like a man who +had had a fright, or been startled by some possible shadow +of a ghost. To walk into the room, into the bright household +glow, and smile and shake hands with them, feeling +all the time that he knew more about them than they +themselves did, was the strangest sensation to the young +man. He asked how Mr Wodehouse did, with a voice +which, to himself, sounded hollow and unnatural, and sat +down beside the invalid, almost turning his back upon +Lucy in his bewilderment. It was indeed with a great +effort that Mr Wentworth mastered himself, and was able +to listen to what his companion said.</p> + +<p>"We are all right," said Mr Wodehouse—"a trifle of a +headache or so—nothing to make a talk about; but +Molly has forsaken us, and we were just about getting +bored with each other, Lucy and I; a third person was +all we wanted to make us happy—eh? Well I thought +you looked at the door very often—perhaps I was +mistaken—but I could have sworn you were listening +and looking for somebody. No wonder either—I don't +think so. I should have done just the same at your age."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, papa, you are quite mistaken," said Lucy. "I +suppose that means that I cannot amuse you by myself, +though I have been trying all the evening. Perhaps Mr +Wentworth will be more fortunate." And, either for +shame of being supposed to look for him, or in a little +innocent pique, she moved away from where she was +sitting, and rang for tea, and left the two gentlemen to +talk to each other. That is to say, Mr Wodehouse talked, +and the Perpetual Curate sat looking vaguely at the fair +figure which flitted about the room, and wondering if +he were awake, or the world still in its usual place. After +a while Miss Wodehouse came in, very tremulous and +pale, and dropped into the first chair she could find, +and pretended to occupy herself over her knitting. She +had a headache, Lucy said; and Mr Wentworth sat +watching while the younger sister tended the elder, +bringing her tea, kissing her, persuading her to go and +lie down, taking all kinds of affectionate trouble to +cheer the pale woman, who looked over Lucy's fair head +with eyes full of meaning to the bewildered visitor, who +was the only one there who understood what her +trouble meant. When he got up to go away, she wrung +his hand with a pitiful gaze which went to his heart. "Let +me know!" she said in a whisper; and, not satisfied still, +went to the door with him, and lingered upon the stair, +following slowly. "Oh, Mr Wentworth! be sure you let +me know," she repeated, again looking wistfully after +him as he disappeared into the dark garden, going out. +The stars were still shining, the spring dews lying sweet +upon the plants and turf. It was a lovelier night now +than when Mr Wentworth had said so to little Rosa +Elsworthy an hour ago; but mists were rising from the +earth, and clouds creeping over the sky, to the startled +imagination of the Perpetual Curate. He had found out +by practical experiments, almost for the first time, that +there were more things in earth and heaven than are +dreamt of in the philosophy of youth.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">It</span> was the next morning after this when Mrs Hadwin's +strange lodger first appeared in the astonished house. He +was the strangest lodger to be taken into a house of such +perfect respectability, a house in Grange Lane; and it +came to be currently reported in Carlingford after a time, +when people knew more about it, that even the servants +could not tell when or how he arrived, but had woke up +one morning to find a pair of boots standing outside the +closed door of the green room, which the good old lady +kept for company, with sensations which it would be +impossible to describe. Such a pair of boots they were too—muddy +beyond expression, with old mud which had not +been brushed off for days—worn shapeless, and patched +at the sides; the strangest contrast to a handsome pair of +Mr Wentworth's, which he, contrary to his usual neat +habits, had kicked off in his sitting-room, and which +Sarah, the housemaid, had brought and set down on the +landing, close by these mysterious and unaccountable +articles. When the bell of the green room rang an hour or +two later, Sarah and the cook, who happened to be standing +together, jumped three yards apart and stared at each +other; the sound gave them both "a turn." But they soon +got perfectly well used to that bell from the green room. It +rung very often in the day, for "the gentleman" chose to +sit there more than half his time; and if other people were +private about him, it was a great deal more than he was +about himself. He even sent the boots to be mended, to +Sarah's shame and confusion. For the credit of the house, +the girl invented a story about them to calm the cobbler's +suspicions. "They was the easiest boots the gentleman +had, being troubled with tender feet; and he wasn't a-going +to give them up because they was shabby," said +Sarah. He sent down his shabby clothes to be brushed, +and wore Mr Wentworth's linen, to the indignation of the +household. But he was not a man to be concealed in a +corner. From where he sat in the green room, he whistled +so beautifully that Mrs Hadwin's own pet canary paused +astonished to listen, and the butcher's boy stole into the +kitchen surreptitiously to try if he could learn the art; and +while he whistled, he filled the tidy room with parings and +cuttings of wood, and carved out all kinds of pretty articles +with his knife. But though he rang his bell so often, and +was so tiresome with his litter, and gave so much trouble, +Sarah's heart, after a while, melted to "the gentleman." +He made her a present of a needlecase, and was very +civil-spoken—more so a great deal than the Curate of St +Roque's; and such a subject of talk and curiosity had +certainly not been in Carlingford for a hundred years.</p> + +<p>As for Mrs Hadwin, she never gave any explanation at +all on the subject, but accepted the fact of a new inmate +cheerfully, as if she knew all about it. Of course she could +not ask any of her nieces to visit her while the green room +was occupied; and as they were all rather large, interfering, +managing women, perhaps the old lady was not very sorry. +Mr Wentworth himself was still less explanatory. When +Mr Wodehouse said to him, "What is this I hear about a +brother of yours?—they tell me you've got a brother staying +with you. Well, that's what I hear. Why don't you bring him +up to dinner? Come to-morrow;" the Perpetual Curate +calmly answered, "Thank you; but there's no brother of +mine in Carlingford," and took no further notice. Naturally, +however, this strange apparition was much discussed in +Grange Lane; the servants first, and then the ladies, became +curious about him. Sometimes, in the evenings, he might be +seen coming out of Mrs Hadwin's garden-door—a shabby +figure, walking softly in his patched boots. There never was +light enough for any one to see him; but he had a great +beard, and smoked a short little pipe, and had evidently no +regard for appearances. It was a kind of thing which few +people approved of. Mrs Hadwin ought not to permit it, +some ladies said; and a still greater number were of the +opinion that, rather than endure so strange a fellow-lodger, +the Curate ought to withdraw, and find fresh lodgings. This +was before the time when the public began to associate the +stranger in a disagreeable way with Mr Wentworth. Before +they came to that, the people in Grange Lane bethought +themselves of all Mrs Hadwin's connections, to find out if +there might not be some of them under hiding; and, of +course, that excellent woman had a nephew or two whose +conduct was not perfect; and then it came to be reported that +it was Mr Wentworth's brother—that it was an unfortunate +college chum of his—that it was somebody who had speculated, +and whom the Curate had gone shares with: but, in +the mean time, no real information could be obtained about +this mysterious stranger. The butcher's boy, whose senses +were quickened by mingled admiration and envy, heard +him whistling all day long, sometimes hidden among the +trees in the garden, sometimes from the open window of the +green room, where, indeed, Lady Western's page was ready +to take his oath he had once seen the audacious unknown +leaning out in the twilight, smoking a pipe. But no trap of +conversation, however ingenious—and many traps were +laid for Mr Wentworth—ever elicited from the Perpetual +Curate any acknowledgment of the other lodger's existence. +The young Anglican opened his fine eyes a little wider +than usual when he was asked sympathetically whether so +many people in the house did not interfere with his quiet. +"Mrs Hadwin's talk is very gentle," said the Curate; "she +never disturbs me." And the mistress of the house was +equally obtuse, and would not comprehend any allusion. +The little household came to be very much talked of in +Carlingford in consequence; and to meet that shabby figure +in the evening, when one chanced to be out for a walk, made +one's company sought after in the best circles of society: +though the fact is, that people began to be remiss in calling +upon Mrs Hadwin, and a great many only left their cards as +soon as it became evident that she did not mean to give any +explanation. To have the Curate to stay with her was +possible, without infringing upon her position; but matters +became very different when she showed herself willing +to take "any one," even when in equivocal apparel and +patched boots.</p> + +<p>Probably the Curate had his own troubles during this +period of his history. He was noticed to be a little quick +and short in his temper for some time after Easter. For +one thing, his aunts did not go away; they stayed in the +Blue Boar, and sent for him to dinner, till the Curate's +impatience grew almost beyond bearing. It was a discipline +upon which he had not calculated, and which +exceeded the bounds of endurance, especially as Miss +Leonora questioned him incessantly about his "work," +and still dangled before him, like an unattainable sweet-meat +before a child, the comforts and advantages of +Skelmersdale, where poor old Mr Shirley had rallied +for the fiftieth time. The situation altogether was very +tempting to Miss Leonora; she could not make up her +mind to go away and leave such a very pretty quarrel in +progress; and there can be no doubt that it would have +been highly gratifying to her vanity as an Evangelical +woman to have had her nephew brought to task for +missionary work carried on in another man's parish, +even though that work was not conducted entirely on +her own principles. She lingered, accordingly, with a +great hankering after Wharfside, to which Mr Wentworth +steadily declined to afford her any access. She +went to the afternoon service sometimes, it is true, but +only to be afflicted in her soul by the sight of Miss +Wodehouse and Lucy in their grey cloaks, not to speak +of the rubric to which the Curate was so faithful. It was a +trying experience to his Evangelical aunt; but at the +same time it was a "great work;" and she could not give +up the hope of being able one time or other to appropriate +the credit of it, and win him over to her own +"views." If that consummation could but be attained, +everything would become simple; and Miss Leonora was +a true Wentworth, and wanted to see her nephew in +Skelmersdale: so it may easily be understood that, +under present circumstances, there were great attractions +for her in Carlingford.</p> + +<p>It was, accordingly, with a beating heart that Miss +Dora, feeling a little as she might have been supposed to +feel thirty years before, had she ever stolen forth from +the well-protected enclosure of Skelmersdale Park to +see a lover, put on her bonnet in the early twilight, and, +escaping with difficulty the lively observations of her +maid, went tremulously down Grange Lane to her +nephew's house. She had never yet visited Frank, and +this visit was unquestionably clandestine. But then the +news with which her heart was beating <ins title="original reads were">was</ins> important +enough to justify the step she was taking—at least so +she whispered to herself; though whether dear Frank +would be pleased, or whether he would still think it "my +fault," poor Miss Dora could not make up her mind. +Nothing happened in the quiet road, where there were +scarcely any passengers, and the poor lady arrived with +a trembling sense of escape from unknown perils at Mrs +Hadwin's garden-door. For Miss Dora was of opinion, +like some few other ladies, that to walk alone down the +quietest of streets was to lay herself open to unheard-of +dangers. She put out her trembling hand to ring the +bell, thinking her perils over—for of course Frank +would walk home with her—when the door suddenly +opened, and a terrible apparition, quite unconscious of +anybody standing there, marched straight out upon +Miss Dora, who gave a little scream, and staggered +backwards, thinking the worst horrors she had dreamed +of were about to be realised. They were so close +together that the terrified lady took in every detail of his +appearance. She saw the patched boots and that shabby +coat which Sarah the housemaid felt that she rather +demeaned herself by brushing. It looked too small for +him, as coats will do when they get shabby; and, to +complete the alarming appearance of the man, he had +no hat, but only a little travelling-cap surmounting the +redundancy of hair, mustache, and beard, which were +enough of themselves to strike any nervous woman with +terror. "Oh, I beg your pardon," cried poor Miss Dora, +hysterically; "I wanted to see Mr Wentworth;" and she +stood trembling and panting for breath, holding by the +wall, not quite sure that this apparition could be +appeased by any amount of apologies. It was a great +comfort to her when the monster took off its cap, and +when she perceived, by the undulations of the beard, +something like a smile upon its hidden lips. "I believe +Mr Wentworth is at church," said the new lodger: "may +I have the pleasure of seeing you safely across to St +Roque's?" At which speech Miss Dora trembled more +and more, and said, faintly, "No, thank you,"—for who +could tell what the man's intentions might be? The +result was, however, that he only put on his cap again, +and went off like any other human creature in the other +direction, and that slowly; with tremulous steps Miss +Dora pursued her way to her nephew's pretty church. +She could not have described, as she herself said, what a +relief it was after all this, to take Frank's arm, as she met +him at the door of St Roque's. He was coming out, and +the young lady with the grey cloak had been one of the +congregation; and, to tell the truth, Miss Dora was an +unwelcome addition just then to the party. Lucy's +coming had been accidental, and it was very sweet to Mr +Wentworth to be able to conclude that he was obliged to +walk home with her. They were both coming out from +their evening devotions into the tranquil spring twilight, +very glad of the charmed quiet, and happy somehow to +find themselves alone together. That had happened but +seldom of late; and a certain expectation of something +that might happen hovered over the heads of Lucy and +the Curate. It did not matter that he dared not say to +her what was in his heart. Mr Wentworth was only a +young man after all, and the thrill of a possible revelation +was upon him in that half-hour upon which he was +entering with so profound a sense of happiness. And +then it was an accidental meeting, and if anything did +happen, they could not blame themselves as if they had +sought this opportunity of being together. The circumstances +were such that they might call it providential, if +anything came of it. But just as the two had made their +first step out of the church, where the organ was still +murmuring low in the darkness, and where the music of +the last Amen, in which he had recognised Lucy's voice, +had not quite died from the Curate's ears, to meet Miss +Dora, pale and fluttered, full of news and distress, with +no other thought in her mind but to appropriate her +dear Frank, and take his arm and gain his ear! It was +very hard upon the Perpetual Curate. As for Lucy, she, +of course, did not say anything, but merely arranged +her veil and greeted Miss Wentworth sweetly. Lucy +walked on the other side of the Curate, saying little as +Miss Dora's eager shower of questions and remarks ran +on. Perhaps she had a little insight into Mr Wentworth's +feelings, and no doubt it was rather tantalising. When +they came to Mrs Hadwin's door, the young Anglican +made a spasmodic effort, which in his heart he felt to be +unprincipled, and which, had it been successful, would +have totally taken away the accidental and unpremeditated +character of this walk with Lucy, which he could +not find it in his heart to relinquish. He proposed that +his aunt should go in and rest while he saw Miss Wodehouse +safely home—he was sure she was tired, he said, +eagerly. "No, my dear, not at all," said Miss Dora; "it is +such a pleasant evening, and I know Miss Wodehouse's +is not very far off. I should like the walk, and, besides, +it is too late, you know, to see Mrs Hadwin, and I +should not like to go in without calling on her; and +besides—"</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth in his aggravation gave a momentary +sudden glance at Lucy when she had no expectation of +it. That glance of disappointment—of disgust—of love +and longing, was no more intentional than their +meeting; could he help it, if it revealed that heart which +was in such a state of commotion and impatience? +Anyhow, the look gave Lucy sufficient occupation to +keep her very quiet on the other side while Miss Dora +maundered on.</p> + +<p>"I met the strangest man coming out when I was +going to ring your bell. You will think it very foolish, +Frank, but he frightened me," she said. "A man with a +terrible beard, and a—a shabby man, my dear. Who +could it be? Not a person to be seen coming out of a +house where a clergyman lives. He could not be any +friend of yours?"</p> + +<p>"The other lodger, I suppose," said the Curate, +briefly. "When are you going away?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, my dear boy, we are not going away; I came to +tell you. But, Frank, you don't mean to say that such a +man as that lodges in Mrs Hadwin's house? I don't think +it is safe for you—I don't think it is respectable. People +might think he was a friend of yours. I wonder if Miss +Wodehouse has ever seen him—a great man with a +beard? To be sure, a man might have a beard and yet be +respectable; but I am sure, if Miss Wodehouse saw him, +she would agree with me in thinking— Frank, my dear +boy, what is the matter? Have I said anything wrong?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing that I know of," said the Curate, who had +given her arm a little angry pressure to stop the stream +of utterance—"only that I am not interested in the other +lodger. Tell me about your going away."</p> + +<p>"But I must appeal to Miss Wodehouse: it is for your +own sake, my dear Frank," said aunt Dora—"a clergyman +should be so careful. I don't know what your aunt +Leonora would say. Don't you think to see a man like that +coming out of Mr Wentworth's house is not as it should +be? I assure you he frightened me."</p> + +<p>"I don't think I have seen him," said Lucy. "But +shouldn't a clergyman's house be like the church, open +to good and bad?—for it is to the wicked and the miserable +you are sent," said the Sister of Mercy, lowering +her voice and glancing up at the Perpetual Curate. They +could have clasped each other's hands at that moment, +almost without being aware that it was any personal +feeling which made their agreement so sweet. As for +Miss Dora, she went on leaning on her nephew's arm, +totally unconscious of the suppressed rapture and elevation +in which the two were moving at the other side.</p> + +<p>"That is very true. I am sure your aunt Leonora would +approve of that, dear," said Miss Dora, with a little +answering pressure on her nephew's arm—"but still I +have a feeling that a clergyman should always take care +to be respectable. Not that he should neglect the +wicked," continued the poor aunt, apologetically, "for a +poor sinner turning from the evil of his ways is the—the +most interesting—sight in the world, even to the angels, +you know; but to <i>live</i> with them in the same house, my +dear—I am sure that is what I never could advise, nor +Leonora either; and Mrs Hadwin ought to know better, +and have him away. Don't you know who he is, Frank? I +could not be content without finding out, if it was me."</p> + +<p>"I have nothing to do with him," said the Curate, +hurriedly: "it is a subject I don't want to discuss. Never +mind him. What do you mean by saying you are not +going away?"</p> + +<p>"My dear, Leonora has been thinking it all over," said +Miss Dora, "and we are so anxious about you. Leonora is +very fond of you, though she does not show it; and you +know the Meritons have just come home from India, and +have not a house to go to. So you see we thought, as you are +not quite so comfortable as we could wish to see you, Frank—and +perhaps we might be of some use—and Mr +Shirley is better again, and no immediate settlement has +to be made about Skelmersdale;—that on the whole, if +Leonora and you were to see more of each other—oh, +my dear boy, don't be so hasty; it was all her own doing—it +was not my fault."</p> + +<p>"Fault! I am sorry to be the occasion of so many +arrangements," said Mr Wentworth, with his stiff manner; +"but, of course, if you like to stay in Carlingford I shall be +very happy—though there is not much preaching here +that will suit my aunt Leonora: as for Mr Shirley, I hope +he'll live for ever. I was at No. 10 today," continued the +Curate, turning his head to the other side, and changing +his tone in a manner marvellous to Miss Dora. "I don't +think she can live much longer. You have done a great +deal to smooth her way in this last stage. Poor soul! she +thinks she has been a great sinner," said the young man, +with a kind of wondering pity. He had a great deal to vex +him in his own person, and he knew of some skeletons +very near at hand, but somehow at that moment it was +hard to think of the extremities of mortal trouble, of death +and anguish—those dark deeps of life by which Lucy and +he sometimes stood together in their youth and happiness. +A marvelling remorseful pity came to his heart. He could +not believe in misery, with Lucy walking softly in the +spring twilight by his side.</p> + +<p>"But, Frank, you are not taking any notice of what I +say," said Miss Dora, with something like a suppressed +sob. "I don't doubt your sick people are very important, +but I thought you would take <i>some</i> interest. I came down +to tell you, all the way by myself."</p> + +<p>"My sister would like to call on you, Miss Wentworth," +said Lucy, interposing. "Gentlemen never understand +what one says. Perhaps we could be of some use to you if +you are going to settle in Carlingford. I think she has been +a great deal better since she confessed," continued the +charitable Sister, looking up to the Curate, and, like him, +dropping her voice. "The absolution was such a comfort. +Now she seems to feel as if she could die. And she has so +little to live for!" said Lucy, with a sigh of sympathetic +feeling, remorseful too. Somehow it seemed cruel to feel +so young, so hopeful, so capable of happiness, with such +desolation close at hand.</p> + +<p>"Not even duty," said the Curate; "and to think that the +Church should hesitate to remove the last barriers out of +the way! I would not be a priest if I were debarred from +the power of delivering such a poor soul."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank," said Miss Dora, with a long breath of +fright and horror, "<i>what</i> are you saying? Oh, my dear, +don't say it over again, I don't want to hear it! I hope +when we are dying we shall all feel what great great +sinners we are," said the poor lady, who, between vexation +and mortification, was ready to cry, "and not think +that one is better than another. Oh, my dear, there is that +man again! Do you think it is safe to meet him in such a +lonely road? If he comes across and speaks to me any +more I shall faint," cried poor Miss Dora, whose opinions +were not quite in accordance with her feelings. Mr Wentworth +did not say anything to soothe her, but with his +unoccupied hand he made an involuntary movement +towards Lucy's cloak, and plucked at it to bring her +nearer, as the bearded stranger loomed dimly past, +looking at the group. Lucy felt the touch, and wondered +and looked up at him in the darkness. She could not +comprehend the Curate's face.</p> + +<p>"Are <i>you</i> afraid of him?" she said, with a slight smile; "if +it is only his beard I am not alarmed; and here is papa +coming to meet me. I thought you would have come for +me sooner, papa. Has anything happened?" said Lucy, +taking Mr Wodehouse's arm, who had suddenly appeared +from underneath the lamp, still unlighted, at Dr +Marjoribanks's door. She clung to her father with unusual +eagerness, willing enough to escape from the darkness and +the Curate's side, and all the tremulous sensations of the +hour.</p> + +<p>"What could happen?" said Mr Wodehouse, who still +looked "limp" from his recent illness, "though I hear there +are doubtful people about; so they tell me—but you ought +to know best, Wentworth. Who is that fellow in the beard +that went by on the other side? Not little Lake the drawing-master? +Fancied I had seen the build of the man before—eh?—a +stranger? Well, it's a mistake, perhaps. Can't be +sure of anything nowadays;—memory failing. Well, that's +what the doctor says. Come in and rest and see Molly; as +for me, I'm not good for much, but you won't get better +company than the girls, or else that's what folks tell me. +Who did you say that fellow was?" said the churchwarden, +leaning across his daughter to see Mr Wentworth's face.</p> + +<p>"I don't know anything about him," said the Curate of +St Roque's.</p> + +<p>And curiously enough silence fell upon the little party, +nobody could tell how;—for two minutes, which looked +like twenty, no one spoke. Then Lucy roused herself, +apparently with a little effort. "We seem to talk of nothing +but the man with the beard to-night," she said. "Mary +knows everything that goes on in Carlingford—she will tell +us about him; and if Miss Wentworth thinks it too late to +come in, we will say good-night," she continued, with a +little decision of tone, which was not incomprehensible to +the Perpetual Curate. Perhaps she was a little provoked +and troubled in her own person. To say so much in looks +and so little in words, was a mode of procedure which +puzzled Lucy. It fretted her, because it looked unworthy +of her hero. She withdrew within the green door, holding +her father's arm fast, and talking to him, while Mr Wentworth +strained his ears after the voice, which he thought +he could have singled out from a thousand voices. Perhaps +Lucy talked to drown her thoughts; and the Curate went +away dumb and abstracted, with his aunt leaning on his +arm on the other side of the wall. He could not be +interested, as Miss Dora expected him to be, in the Miss +Wentworths' plans. He conducted her to the Blue Boar +languidly, with an evident indifference to the fact that his +aunt Leonora was about to become a permanent resident +in Carlingford. He said "Good-night" kindly to little Rosa +Elsworthy, looking out with bright eyes into the darkness +at the door of her uncle's shop; but he said little to Miss +Dora, who could not tell what to make of him, and +swallowed her tears as quietly as possible under her veil. +When he had deposited his aunt safely at the inn, the +Perpetual Curate hastened down Grange Lane at a great +pace. The first sound he heard on entering Mrs Hadwin's +garden was the clear notes of the stranger's whistle among +the trees; and with an impatient exclamation Mr Wentworth +sought his fellow-lodger, who was smoking as usual, +pacing up and down a shaded walk, where, even in +daylight, he was pretty well concealed from observation. +The Curate looked as if he had a little discontent and +repugnance to get over before he could address the +anonymous individual who whistled so cheerily under the +trees. When he did speak it was an embarrassed and not +very intelligible call.</p> + +<p>"I say—are you there? I want to speak to you," said Mr +Wentworth.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the stranger, turning sharply round. "I am +here, a dog without a name. What have you got to say?"</p> + +<p>"Only that you must be more careful," said Mr Wentworth +again, with a little stiffness. "You will be recognised +if you don't mind. I have just been asked who you were by—somebody +who thought he had seen you before."</p> + +<p>"By whom?"</p> + +<p>"Well, by Mr Wodehouse," said the Curate. "I may as +well tell you; if you mean to keep up this concealment you +must take care."</p> + +<p>"By Jove!" said the stranger, and then he whistled a few +bars of the air which Mr Wentworth's arrival had interrupted. +"What is a fellow to do?" he said, after an interjection. +"I sometimes think I had better risk it all—eh! +don't you think so? I can't shut myself up for ever here."</p> + +<p>"That must be as you think best," said the Perpetual +Curate, in whom there appeared no movement of sympathy; +and he said no more, though the doubtful individual +by his side lifted an undecided look to his face, and +once more murmured in perplexed tones a troubled +exclamation: "A man must have a little amusement +somehow," the stranger said, with an aggrieved voice; and +then abruptly left his unsociable companion, and went off +to his room, where he summoned Sarah to bring lights, +and tried to talk to her a little in utter dearth of society. +Mr Wentworth stayed behind, pacing up and down the +darkening walk. The Curate's thoughts were far from +satisfactory. There was not much comfort anywhere, let +him look where he pleased. When a man has no spot in all +his horizon on which his eye can rest with comfort, there is +something more discouraging in the prospect than a positive +calamity. He could not take refuge even in the +imaginations of his love, for it was clear enough that +already a sentiment of surprise had risen in Lucy's mind, +and her tranquillity was shaken. And perhaps he had done +rashly to plunge into other people's troubles—he upon +whom a curious committee of aunts were now to sit <i>en +permanence</i>. He went in to write his sermon, far from being +so assured of things in general as that discourse was when +it was written, though it was a little relief to his mind to +fall back upon an authority somewhere, and to refer, in +terms which were perhaps too absolute to be altogether +free of doubt, to the Church, which had arranged everything +for her children in one department of their concerns +at least. If it were only as easy to know what ought to be +done in one's personal affairs as to decide what was the +due state of mind expected by the Church on the second +Sunday after Easter! But being under that guidance, at +least he could not go wrong in his sermon, which was one +point of ease amid the many tribulations of the Curate of +St Roque's.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">If</span> they are going to stay in Carlingford, perhaps we +could be of use to them? Yes, Lucy; and I am sure +anything we could do for Mr Wentworth—" said Miss +Wodehouse. "I wonder what house they will get. I am +going to Elsworthy's about some paper, and we can ask +him if he knows where they are going. That poor little +Rosa should have some one to take care of her. I often +wonder whether it would be kind to speak to Mrs +Elsworthy about it, Lucy; she is a sensible woman. The +little thing stands at the door in the evening, and talks to +people who are passing, and I am afraid there are some +people who are unprincipled, and tell her she is pretty, +and say things to her," said Miss Wodehouse, shaking her +head; "it is a great pity. Even Mr Wentworth is a great +deal more civil to that little thing than he would be if she +had not such a pretty face."</p> + +<p>"I said you knew everything that went on in Carlingford," +said Lucy, as they went out together from the green +door, not in their grey cloaks this time; "but I forgot to ask +you about one thing that puzzled us last night—who is the +man in the beard who lives at Mrs Hadwin's? Mr Wentworth +will not tell anybody about him, and I think he +knows."</p> + +<p>"Who is the man in the beard?" said Miss Wodehouse, +with a gasp. She grew very pale, and turned away her +head and shivered visibly. "How very cold it is!" she said, +with her teeth chattering; "did you think it was so cold? I—I +don't know any men with beards; and it is so strange of +you to say I know everything that goes on in Carlingford. +Don't stop to speak to that little girl just now. Did you say +she came from Prickett's Lane? No. 10? It is very right to +go to see the sick, but, indeed, I don't approve of your +attendance upon that poor woman, Lucy. When I was a +girl I dared not have gone away by myself as you do, and +she might not be a proper person. There is a carriage that +I don't know standing before Elsworthy's shop."</p> + +<p>"But you have not told me yet about the man with the +beard," said Lucy, whose curiosity was excited. She +looked at her sister keenly with an investigating look, and +poor Miss Wodehouse was fain to draw her shawl close +round her, and complain again of the cold.</p> + +<p>"I told you I did not know," she said, with a complaining +tone in her voice. "It is strange you should think I +knew; it looks as if you thought me a gossip, Lucy. I +wonder who those people can be coming out of the carriage? +My dear," said the elder sister, feeling within +herself that an attack upon the enemy's country was the +best means of meeting any sally—"I don't think you +should go down to Prickett's Lane just now. I saw Mr +Wentworth pass a little while ago, and people might say +you went to meet each other. I can't keep people from +talking, Lucy, and you are both so young; and you know I +spoke to you before about your meeting so often. It will be +a great deal better for you to come with me to call on his +aunts."</p> + +<p>"Only that my poor patient wants me," said Lucy. +"Must I not do my duty to a poor woman who is dying, +because Mr Wentworth is in Prickett's Lane? There is no +reason why I should be afraid of meeting Mr Wentworth," +said the young district-visitor, severely; and the elder +sister saw that Lucy spoke in a different tone from that in +which she had answered her before. She did not extinguish +Miss Wodehouse by a reference to the great work. +She treated the matter more as a personal one to-day; and +a shadow—a very ghost of irritation—was in Lucy's voice. +The two crossed the street silently after that to +Elsworthy's, where a group of ladies were visible, who +had come out of the strange carriage. One of them was +seated in a chair by the counter, another was reading a list +which Mr Elsworthy had just presented to her, and the +third, who was not so tall as her sister, was pressing up to it +on tiptoe, trying to read it too. "That is Miss Dora Wentworth," +said Lucy, "and the other, I suppose, is Miss +Leonora, who is so very Low-Church. I think I can see the +Miss Hemmings coming down George Street. If I were to +go in I should be in a dreadful minority; but you are Low-Church +in your heart too."</p> + +<p>"No, dear; only reasonable," said Miss Wodehouse, +apologetically. "I don't go as far as you and Mr Wentworth +do, but I like the service to be nicely done, and the—the +authority of the Church respected too. As I have +never met Miss Wentworth, you had better come in and +introduce me. There is Rosa looking out of the front +window, Lucy. I really must speak to Mrs Elsworthy +about that child. What a lovely old lady that is sitting by +the counter! Say I am your sister, and then if you are +resolved upon Prickett's Lane, you can go away."</p> + +<p>"They are the two who wear the grey cloaks," said Miss +Leonora Wentworth to herself, as the introduction was +effected. "I am glad to make your acquaintance, Miss +Wodehouse. We are going to stay in Carlingford for a +time, and to know a few pious families will be a great +advantage. We don't go much into society, in the usual +sense of the word—but, I am sure, to make the acquaintance +of ladies who help my nephew so much in his work, +is sure to be an advantage. I should like so much to hear +from you how he gets on, for he does not say a great deal +about it himself."</p> + +<p>"He is so good and so nice," said kind Miss Wodehouse, +"he never makes a fuss about anything he does. I am sure, +to see such young creatures so pious and so devoted, +always goes to my heart. When we were young it used to +be so different—we took our own pleasure, and never +thought of our fellow-creatures. And the young people are +so good nowadays," said the gentle woman, falling instinctively +into her favourite sentiment. Miss Leonora looked +at her with critical eyes.</p> + +<p>"We are none of us good," said that iron-grey woman, +whose neutral tints were so different from the soft dove-colour +of her new acquaintance; "it does not become such +sinful creatures to talk of anybody being good. Good +works may only be beautiful sins, if they are not done in a +true spirit," said Miss Leonora, turning to her list of +furnished houses with a little contempt. But the Miss +Hemmings had come in while she was speaking, and it was +seldom that such edifying talk was heard in Carlingford.</p> + +<p>"That is such a beautiful sentiment—oh, if we only bore +it always in mind!" murmured the eldest Miss Hemmings. +"Mr Elsworthy, I hope you have got the tracts I ordered. +They are so much wanted here. Poor dear Mr Bury would +not believe his eyes if he could see Carlingford now, given +up to Puseyism and Ritualism—but good men are taken +away from the evil to come. I will pay for them now, +please."</p> + +<p>"If you wish it, ma'am," said Mr Elsworthy. "The town +<i>is</i> changed; I don't say nothing different; but being in the +ritual line as you say, you won't find no church as it's +better done than in St Roque's. Mr Wentworth never +spares no pains, ma'am, on anything as he takes up. I've +heard a deal of clergymen in my day, but <i>his</i> reading is +beautiful; I can't say as I ever heard reading as could +equal it;—and them choristers, though they're hawful to +manage, is trained as I never see boys trained in <i>my</i> life +afore. There's one of them houses, ma'am," continued the +optimist, turning to Miss Wentworth, "as is a beauty. Miss +Wodehouse can tell you what it is; no lady in the land +could desire a handsomer drawing-room; and as for the +kitchings,—I don't pretend to be a judge up-stairs, but +being brought up a blacksmith, I know what's what in a +kitching-range. If you had all Grange Lane to dinner, +there's a range as is equal to it," said Mr Elsworthy with +enthusiasm—"and my wife will show you the 'ouse."</p> + +<p>"I knew Mr Bury," said Miss Leonora; "he was a +precious man. Perhaps you have heard him mention the +Miss Wentworths? I am very sorry to hear that there is no +real work going on in the town. It is very sad that there +should be nobody able to enter into the labours of such a +saint."</p> + +<p>"Indeed," said Miss Wodehouse, who was excited, in +spite of herself, by this conversation, "I think the Carlingford +people go quite as much to church as in Mr Bury's +days. I don't think there is less religion than there used to +be: there are not so many prayer meetings, perhaps; +but—"</p> + +<p>"There is nothing the carnal mind dislikes so much as +prayer meetings," said Miss Hemmings. "There is a house +in Grove Street, if Miss Wentworth is looking for a house. +I don't know much about the kitchen-range, but I know it +belongs to a very pious family, and they wish so much to +let it. My sister and I would be so glad to take you there. +It is not in the gay world, like Grange Lane."</p> + +<p>"But you might want to ask people to dinner; and then +we should be so near Frank," said Miss Dora, whispering +at her sister's elbow. As for the second Miss Hemmings, +she was dull of comprehension, and did not quite make out +who the strangers were.</p> + +<p>"It is so sad to a feeling mind to see the mummeries that +go on at St Roque's," said this obtuse sister; "and I am +afraid poor Mr Wentworth must be in a bad way. They +say there is the strangest man in his house—some relation +of his—and he daren't be seen in the daylight; and people +begin to think there must be something wrong, and that +Mr Wentworth himself is involved; but what can you +expect when there is no true Christian principle?" asked +Miss Hemmings, triumphantly. It was a dreadful moment +for the bystanders; for Miss Leonora turned round upon +this new intelligence with keen eyes and attention; and +Miss Dora interposed, weeping; and Miss Wodehouse +grew so pale, that Mr Elsworthy rushed for cold water, +and thought she was going to faint. "Tell me all about +this," said Miss Leonora, with peremptory and commanding +tones. "Oh, Leonora, I am sure my dear Frank has +nothing to do with it, if there is anything wrong," cried +Miss Dora. Even Miss Wentworth herself was moved out +of her habitual smile. She said, "He is my nephew"—an +observation which she had never been heard to make +before, and which covered the second Miss Hemmings +with confusion. As for Miss Wodehouse, she retreated +very fast to a seat behind Miss Cecilia, and said nothing. +The two who had arrived last slunk back upon each other +with fiery glances of mutual reproach. The former three +stood together in this emergency, full of curiosity, and +perhaps a little anxiety. In this position of affairs, Mr +Elsworthy, being the only impartial person present, took +the management of matters into his own hands.</p> + +<p>"Miss Hemmings and ladies, if you'll allow <i>me</i>," said Mr +Elsworthy, "it aint no more than a mistake. The new +gentleman as is staying at Mrs Hadwin's may be an +unfortunate gentleman for anything I can tell; but he aint +no relation of our clergyman. There aint nobody +belonging to Mr Wentworth," said the clerk of St Roque's, +"but is a credit both to him and to Carlingford. There's his +brother, the Rev. Mr Wentworth, as is the finest-spoken +man, to be a clergyman, as I ever set eyes on; and there's +respected ladies as needn't be named more particular. But +the gentleman as is the subject of conversation is no more +like Mr Wentworth than—asking pardon for the liberty—I +am. I may say as I have opportunities for knowing more +than most," said Mr Elsworthy, modestly, "me and Rosa; +for if there's a thing Mr Wentworth is particular about, it's +having his papers the first moment; and ladies as knows +me knows I am one that never says more nor the truth. +Not saying a word against the gentleman—as is a most +respectable gentleman, for anything I know against him—he +aint no connection of Mr Wentworth. He's Mrs +Hadwin's lodger; and I wouldn't say as he isn't a relation +there; but our clergyman has got no more to do with him +than the babe unborn."</p> + +<p>Mr Elsworthy wiped his forehead after he had made +this speech, and looked round for the approbation which +he was aware he had deserved; and Miss Leonora Wentworth +threw a glance of disdainful observation upon the +unhappy lady who had caused this disturbance. "If your +wife will come with us, we will go and look at the house," +she said, graciously. "I daresay if it is in Grange Lane it +will suit us very well. My nephew is a very young man, +Miss Wodehouse," said Miss Leonora, who had not passed +over the agitation of that gentle woman without some +secret comments; "he does not take advice in his work, +though it might be of great assistance to him; but I hope +he'll grow older and wiser, as indeed he cannot help doing +if he lives. I hope you and your pretty sister will come to +see us when we're settled;—I don't see any sense, you +know, in your grey cloaks—I'm old, and you won't mind +me saying so; but I know what Frank Wentworth is," said +the indignant aunt, making a severe curtsy, accompanied +by lightning glances at the shrinking background of female +figures, as she went out of the shop.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Leonora! I always said you were fond of him, +though you never would show it," cried poor Miss Dora. +"She is a great deal more affectionate than she will let +anybody believe; and my dear Frank means nothing but +good," cried the too zealous champion. Miss Leonora +turned back upon the threshold of the shop.</p> + +<p>"You will please to let me know what Dissenting +chapels there are in the town, and what are the hours of +the services," she said. "There must surely be a Bethesda, +or Zion, or something—Salem? yes, to be sure;—perhaps +there's somebody there that preaches the gospel. Send me +word," said the peremptory woman; and poor Miss Dora +relapsed into her usual melancholy condition, and stole +into the carriage in a broken-hearted manner, weeping +under her veil.</p> + +<p>After which Miss Wodehouse went home, not having +much heart for further visits. That is to say, she went all +the way down Grange Lane, somewhat tremulous and +uncertain in her steps, and went as far as Mrs Hadwin's, +and hesitated at the door as if she meant to call there; but, +thinking better of it, went on a little farther with very +lingering steps, as if she did not know what she wanted. +When she came back again, the door of Mrs Hadwin's +garden was open, and the butcher's boy stood blocking up +the way, listening with all his ears to the notes of the +whistle, soft and high and clear like the notes of a bird +which come audibly from among the trees. Miss Wodehouse +gave a little start when she heard it: again she +hesitated, and looked in with such a wistful face that +Sarah, the housemaid, who had been about to slam the +door hastily upon the too tender butcher, involuntarily +held it wide open for the expected visitor. "No, not to-day +thank you," said Miss Wodehouse. "I hope your mistress +is quite well; give her my love, and say I meant to come +in, but I have a bad headache. No, thank you; not to-day." +She went away after that with a wonderful expression of +face, and reached home long before Lucy had come back +from Prickett's Lane. Miss Wodehouse was not good for +much in the house. She went to the little boudoir up-stairs, +and lay down on the sofa, and had some tea brought her +by an anxious maid. She was very nervous, trembling she +could not say why, and took up a novel which was lying on +the sofa, and read the most affecting scene, and cried over +it; and then her sweet old face cleared, and she felt better. +When Lucy came in she kissed her sister, and drew down +the blinds, and brought her the third volume, and then +went away herself to arrange the dessert, and see that +everything was in order for one of Mr Wodehouse's little +parties. These were their respective parts in the house; +and surely a more peaceful, and orderly, and affectionate +house, was not to be found that spring evening, either in +England or Grange Lane.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">It</span> may be easily supposed after this that Mr Wentworth +and his proceedings were sufficiently overlooked and commented +upon in Carlingford. The Miss Wentworths took +old Major Brown's house for six months, which, as everybody +knows, is next door to Dr Marjoribanks. It was just +after Letty Brown's marriage, and the poor old Major was +very glad to go away and pay a round of visits, and try to +forget that his last daughter had gone the way of all the +rest. There was a summer-house built in the corner of the +garden, with a window in the outer wall looking on to +Grange Lane, from which everything that happened could +be inspected; and there was always somebody at that +window when the Perpetual Curate passed by. Then he +began to have a strange painful feeling that Lucy watched +too, and was observing all his looks and ways, and what he +did and said in these changed times. It was a strange +difference from the sweet half-conscious bond between +them which existed of old, when they walked home +together from Wharfside, talking of the district and the +people, in the tender union of unspoken love and fellowship. +Not that they were altogether parted now; but Lucy +contrived to leave the schoolroom most days before the +young priest could manage to disrobe himself, and was +seldom to be seen on the road lingering on her errands of +kindness as she used to do. But still she knew all he was +about, and watched, standing in doubt and wonder of him, +which was at least a great deal better than indifference. +On the whole, however, it was a cloudy world through +which the Perpetual Curate passed as he went from his +lodgings, where the whistle of the new lodger had become +a great nuisance to him, past the long range of garden-walls, +the sentinel window where Miss Dora looked out +watching for him, and Mr Wodehouse's green door which +he no longer entered every day. Over the young man's +mind, as he went out to his labours, there used to come +that sensation of having nobody to fall back upon, which is +of all feelings the most desolate. Amid all those people +who were watching him, there was no one upon whom he +could rest, secure of understanding and sympathy. They +were all critical—examining, with more or less comprehension, +what he did; and he could not think of anybody in +the world just then who would be content with knowing +that <i>he</i> did it, and take that as warranty for the act, unless, +perhaps, his poor aunt Dora, whose opinion was not +important to the young man. It was not a pleasant state of +mind into which these feelings threw him; and the natural +result was, that he grew more and more careful about the +rubric, and confined his sermons, with increasing precision, +to the beautiful arrangements of the Church. They +were very clever little sermons, even within these limitations, +and an indifferent spectator would probably have +been surprised to find how much he could make out of +them; but still it is undeniable that a man has less scope, +not only for oratory, but for all that is worthy of regard in +human speech, when, instead of the ever-lasting reciprocations +between heaven and earth, he occupies himself +only with a set of ecclesiastical arrangements, however +perfect. The people who went to St Roque's found this +out, and so did Mr Wentworth; but it did not alter the +system pursued by the troubled Curate. Perhaps he gave +himself some half-conscious credit for it, as being against +his own interests; for there was no mistaking the countenance +of Miss Leonora, when now and then, on rare +occasions, she came to hear her nephew preach.</p> + +<p>All this, however, was confined to St Roque's, where +there was a somewhat select audience, people who agreed +in Mr Wentworth's views; but things were entirely +different at Wharfside, where the Perpetual Curate was +not thinking about himself, but simply about his work, and +how to do it best. The bargemen and their wives did not +know much about the Christian year; but they understood +the greater matters which lay beneath: and the women +said to each other, sometimes with tears in their eyes, that +there was nothing that the clergyman didn't make plain; +and that if the men didn't do what was right, it was none o' +Mr Wentworth's fault. The young priest indemnified himself +in "the district" for much that vexed him elsewhere. +There was no question of Skelmersdale, or of any moot +point there, but only a quantity of primitive people under +the original conditions of humanity, whose lives might be +amended, and consoled, and elevated. That was a matter +about which Mr Wentworth had no doubt. He put on his +surplice with the conviction that in that white ephod the +truest embodiment of Christian purity was brought within +sight of the darkened world. He was not himself, but a +Christian priest, with power to deliver and to bless, when +he went to Wharfside.</p> + +<p>Easter had been early that year, and Ascension Day +was in the beginning of May, one of those sweet days of +early summer which still occur now and then to prove that +the poets were right in all they say of the tenderest month +of the year. Mr Wentworth had done duty at St Roque's, +and afterwards at Wharfside. The sweet day and the +sweet season had moved his heart. He was young, and it +was hard to live shut up within himself without any +sympathy either from man or woman. He had watched the +grey cloak gliding out as his rude congregation dispersed, +and went away quicker than was his wont, with a stronger +longing than usual to overtake Lucy, and recover his place +beside her. But she was not to be seen when he got into +Prickett's Lane. He looked up the weary length of the +street, and saw nothing but the children playing on the +pavement, and some slovenly mothers at the doors. It was +a very disenchanting prospect. He went on again in a kind +of gloomy discontent, displeased with everything. What +was the good of it all? he said to himself—weariness, and +toil, and trouble, and nothing ever to come of it. As for the +little good he was doing in Wharfside, God did not need his +poor exertions; and, to tell the truth, going on at St +Roque's, however perfect the rubric and pretty the +church, was, without any personal stimulant of happiness, +no great prospect for the Perpetual Curate. Such was the +tenor of his thoughts, when he saw a black figure suddenly +emerge out of one of the houses, and stand at the door, +throwing a long shadow over the pavement. It was the +Rector who was standing there in Mr Wentworth's favourite +district, talking to a shopkeeper who had always been on the +opposition side. The young Anglican raised his drooping head +instantly, and recovered his interest in the general world.</p> + +<p>"Glad to see you, Mr Wentworth," said the Rector. "I +have been speaking to this worthy man about the necessities +of the district. The statistics are far from being +satisfactory. Five thousand souls, and no provision for +their spiritual wants; it is a very sad state of affairs. I mean +to take steps immediately to remedy all that."</p> + +<p>"A bit of a Methody chapel, that's all," said the +opposition shopkeeper; "and the schoolroom, as Mr Wentworth—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have heard of that," said the Rector, blandly;—somebody +had advised Mr Morgan to change his tactics, +and this was the first evidence of the new policy—"I hear +you have been doing what little you could to mend +matters. It is very laudable zeal in so young a man. But, of +course, as you were without authority, and had so little in +your power, it could only be a very temporary expedient. +I am very much obliged to you for your good intentions."</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon," said the Perpetual Curate, rousing +up as at the sound of the trumpet, "I don't care in the least +about my good intentions; but you have been much +deceived if you have not understood that there is a great +work going on in Wharfside. I hope, Saunders, you have +had no hand in deceiving Mr Morgan. I shall be glad to +show you my statistics, which are more satisfactory than +the town list," said Mr Wentworth. "The schoolroom is +consecrated; and but that I thought we had better work +slowly and steadily, there is many a district in worse +condition which has its church and its incumbent. I shall +be very happy to give you all possible information; it is +best to go to the fountainhead."</p> + +<p>"The fountainhead!" said the Rector, who began not +unnaturally to lose his temper. "Are you aware, sir, that +Wharfside is in my parish?"</p> + +<p>"And so is St Roque's, I suppose," said the Curate, +affably. "I have no district, but I have my cure of souls all +the same. As for Wharfside, the Rector of Carlingford +never had had anything to do with it. Mr Bury and Mr +Proctor made it over to me. I act upon their authority; but +I should like to prove to you it is something more than a +temporary expedient," said the young Anglican, with a +smile. Mr Morgan was gradually getting very hot and +flushed. His temper got the better of him; he could not +tolerate to be thus bearded on his own ground.</p> + +<p>"It appears to me the most extraordinary assumption," +said the Rector. "I can't fancy that you are ignorant of the +law. I repeat, Wharfside is in my parish; and on what +ground you can possibly justify such an incredible +intrusion—"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps we might find a fitter place to discuss the +matter," said the Curate, with great suavity. "If you care +to go to the schoolroom, we could be quiet there."</p> + +<p>"No, sir. I don't care to go to the schoolroom. I decline +to have anything to do with such an unwarrantable +attempt to interfere with my rights," said Mr Morgan. "I +don't want to know what plausible arguments you may +have to justify yourself. The fact remains, sir, that Wharfside +is in my parish. If you have anything to say against +that, I will listen to you," said the irascible Rector. His +Welsh blood was up; he even raised his voice a little, with +a kind of half-feminine excitement, common to the Celtic +race; and the consequence was that Mr Wentworth, who +stood perfectly calm to receive the storm, had all the +advantage in the world over Mr Morgan. The Perpetual +Curate bowed with immovable composure, and felt himself +master of the field.</p> + +<p>"In that case, it will perhaps be better not to say +anything," he said; "but I think you will find difficulties in +the way. Wharfside has some curious privileges, and pays +no rates; but I have never taken up that ground. The two +previous rectors made it over to me, and the work is too +important to be ignored. I have had thoughts of applying +to have it made into an ecclesiastical district," said the +Curate, with candour, "not thinking that the Rector of +Carlingford, with so much to occupy him, would care to +interfere with my labours; but at all events, to begin +another mission here would be folly—it would be copying +the tactics of the Dissenters, if you will forgive me for +saying so," said Mr Wentworth, looking calmly in the +Rector's face.</p> + +<p>It was all Mr Morgan could do to restrain himself. "I am +not in the habit of being schooled by my—juniors," said +the Rector, with suppressed fury. He meant to say +inferiors, but the aspect of the Perpetual Curate checked +him. Then the two stood gazing at each other for a minute +in silence. "Anything further you may have to say, you +will perhaps communicate to my solicitor," said the elder +priest. "It is well known that some gentlemen of your +views, Mr Wentworth, think it safe to do evil that good +may come;—that is not my opinion; and I don't mean to +permit any invasion of my rights. I have the pleasure of +wishing you good morning."</p> + +<p>Mr Morgan took off his hat, and gave it a little angry +flourish in the air before he put it on again. He had +challenged his young brother to the only duel permitted +by their cloth, and he turned to the opposition tradesman +with vehemence, and went in again to the dusty little +shop, where a humble assortment of groceries were displayed +for the consumption of Prickett's Lane. Mr Wentworth +remained standing outside in much amazement, not +to say amusement, and a general sense of awakening and +recovery. Next to happiness, perhaps enmity is the most +healthful stimulant of the human mind. The Perpetual +Curate woke up and realised his position with a sense of +exhilaration, if the truth must be told. He muttered something +to himself, uncomplimentary to Mr Morgan's good +sense, as he turned away; but it was astonishing to find +how much more lively and interesting Prickett's Lane had +become since that encounter. He went along cheerily, +saying a word now and then to the people at the doors, +every one of whom knew and recognised him, and acknowledged, +in a lesser or greater degree, the sway of his +bishopric. The groups he addressed made remarks after +he had passed, which showed their sense of the improvement +in his looks. "He's more like himsel' than he's bin +sin' Easter," said one woman, "and none o' that crossed +look, as if things had gone contrairy;—Lord bless you, not +cross—he's a deal too good a man for that—but crossed-looking; +it might be crossed in love for what I can tell." +"Them as is handsome like that seldom gets crossed in +love," said another experienced observer; "but if it was +fortin, or whatever it was, there's ne'er a one in Wharfside +but wishes luck to the parson. It aint much matter for us +women. Them as won't strive to keep their children +decent out o' their own heads, they won't do much for a +clergyman; but, bless you, he can do a deal with the men, +and it's them as wants looking after." "I'd like to go to his +wedding," said another. "I'd give a deal to hear it was all +settled;" and amid these affectionate comments, Mr +Wentworth issued out of Prickett's Lane. He went direct +to Mr Wodehouse's green door, without making any +excuses to himself. For the first time for some weeks he +went in upon the sisters and told them all that had +happened as of old. Lucy was still in her grey cloak as she +had returned from the district, and it was with a feeling +more distinct than sympathy that she heard of this +threatened attack. "It is terrible to think that he could +interfere with such a work out of jealousy of <i>us</i>," said the +Sister of Charity, with a wonderful light in her blue eyes; +and she drew her low chair nearer, and listened with +eloquent looks, which were balm to the soul of the Perpetual +Curate. "But we are not to give up?" she said, +giving him her hand, when he rose to go away. "Never!" +said Mr Wentworth; and if he held it more closely and +longer than there was any particular occasion for, Lucy +did not make any objection at that special moment. Then +it turned out that he had business at the other end of the +town, at the north end, where some trustee lived who had +to do with the Orphan Schools, and whom the curate was +obliged to see; and Miss Wodehouse gave him a timid +invitation to come back to dinner. "But you are not to go +home to dress; we shall be quite alone—and you must be +so tired," said the elder sister, who for some reason or +other was shy of Mr Wentworth, and kept away from him +whenever he called. So he went in on his way back, and +dined in happiness and his morning coat, with a sweet +conscious return to the familiar intercourse which these +few disturbed weeks had interrupted. He was a different +man when he went back again down Grange Lane. Once +more the darkness was fragrant and musical about him. +When he was tired thinking of his affairs, he fell back +upon the memories of the evening, and Lucy's looks and +the "us" and "we," which were so sweet to his ears. To have +somebody behind whom one can fall back upon to fill up +the interstices of thought—<i>that</i> makes all the difference, as +Mr Wentworth found out, between a bright and a heavy life.</p> + +<p>When he opened the garden-door with his key, and +went softly in in the darkness, the Perpetual Curate was +much surprised to hear voices among the trees. He waited +a little, wondering, to see who it was; and profound was his +amazement when a minute after little Rosa Elsworthy, +hastily tying her hat over her curls, came rapidly along +the walk from under the big walnut-tree, and essayed, +with rather a tremulous hand, to open the door. Mr +Wentworth stepped forward suddenly and laid his hand on +her arm. He was very angry and indignant, and no longer +the benign superior being to whom Rosa was accustomed. +"Whom have you been talking to?" said the Curate. "Why +are you here alone so late? What does this mean?" He +held the door close, and looked down upon her severely +while he spoke. She made a frightened attempt to defend +herself.</p> + +<p>"Oh, please, I only came with the papers. I was talking +to—Sarah," said the little girl, with a sob of shame and +terror. "I will never do it again. Oh, please, <i>please</i>, let me +go! Please, Mr Wentworth, let me go!"</p> + +<p>"How long have you been talking to—Sarah?" said the +Curate. "Did you ever do it before? No, Rosa; I am going +to take you home. This must not happen any more."</p> + +<p>"I will run all the way. Oh, don't tell my aunt, Mr +Wentworth. I didn't mean any harm," said the frightened +creature. "You are not really coming? Oh, Mr Wentworth, +if you tell my aunt I shall die!" cried poor little Rosa. But +she was hushed into awe and silence when the curate +stalked forth, a grand, half-distinguished figure by her +side, keeping pace with her hasty, tremulous steps. She +even stopped crying, in the whirlwind of her feelings. +What did he mean? Was he going to say anything to her? +Was it possible that he could like her, and be jealous of her +talk with—Sarah? Poor little foolish Rosa did not know +what to think. She had read a great many novels, and +knew that it was quite usual for gentlemen to fall in love +with pretty little girls who were not of their own station;—why +not with her? So she went on, half running, keeping +up with Mr Wentworth, and sometimes stealing sly glances +at him to see what intention was in his looks. But his looks +were beyond Rosa's reading. He walked by her side +without speaking, and gave a glance up at the window of +the summer-house as they passed. And strange enough, +that evening of all others, Miss Dora, who had been the +victim of some of Miss Leonora's caustic criticisms, had +strayed forth, in melancholy mood, to repose herself at +her favourite window, and look out at the faint stars, and +comfort herself with a feeble repetition of her favourite +plea, that it was not "my fault." The poor lady was +startled out of her own troubles by the sight of her nephew's +tall unmistakable figure; and, as bad luck would have it, +Rosa's hat, tied insecurely by her agitated fingers, blew +off at that moment, so that Mr Wentworth's aunt became +aware, to her inexpressible horror and astonishment, who +his companion was. The unhappy Curate divined all the +thoughts that would arise in her perturbed bosom, when +he saw the indistinct figure at the window, and said +something to himself about <i>espionage</i>, which was barely +civil to Miss Dora, as he hurried along on his charitable +errand. He was out of one trouble into another, this +unlucky young man. He knocked sharply at Elsworthy's +closed door, and gave up his charge without speaking to +Rosa. "I brought her home because I thought it wrong to +let her go up Grange Lane by herself," said the Curate. +"Don't thank me; but if you have any regard for the child, +don't send her out at night again." He did not even bid +Rosa good-night, or look back at her, as she stood blushing +and sparkling in confused childish beauty, in the doorway; +but turned his back like any savage, and hastened home +again. Before he entered his own apartments, he knocked +at the door of the green room, and said something to the +inmate there which produced from that personage a growl +of restrained defiance. And after all these fatigues, it was +with a sense of relief that the Curate threw himself upon +his sofa, to think over the events of the afternoon, and to +take a little rest. He was very tired, and the consolation he +had experienced during the evening made him more disposed +to yield to his fatigue. He threw himself upon the +sofa, and stretched out his hand lazily for his letters, which +evidently did not excite any special expectations in his +mind. There was one from his sister, and one from an old +university friend, full of the news of the season. Last of +all, there was a neat little note, directed in a neat little +hand, which anybody who received it would naturally +have left to the last, as Mr Wentworth did. He opened it +quite deliberately, without any appearance of interest. +But as he read the first lines, the Curate gradually gathered +himself up off the sofa, and stretched out his hand for his +boots, which he had just taken off; and before he had +finished it, had walked across the room and laid hold of the +railway book in use at Carlingford, all the time reading +and re-reading the important little epistle. It was not so +neat inside as out, and blurred and blotted, and slightly +illegible; and this is what the letter said:—</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank, dear, I am so anxious and unhappy about +Gerald. I can't tell what is the matter with him. Come +directly, for heaven's sake, and tell me what you think, +and try what you can do. Don't lose a train after you get +this, but come directly—oh, come if you ever loved any of +us. I don't know what he means, but he says the most +awful things; and if he is not <i>mad</i>, as I sometimes hope, he +has forgotten his duty to his family and to me, which is far +worse. I can't explain more; but if there is any chance of +anybody doing him good, it is you. I beg you, on my +knees, come directly, dear Frank. I never was in such a +state in my life. I shall be left so that nobody will be able +to tell what I am; and my heart is bursting. Never mind +business or anything; but come, come directly, whether it +is night or day, to your broken-hearted sister,</p> + +<p class="right">"<span class="smallcaps">Louisa</span>."</p> + +<p>"<i>P.S.</i>—In great haste, and <i>so</i> anxious to see you."</p> + +<p>Half an hour after, Mr Wentworth, with a travelling-bag +in his hand, was once more hastening up Grange Lane +towards the railway station. His face was somewhat grey, +as the lamps shone on it. He did not exactly know what he +was anxious about, nor what might have happened at +Wentworth Rectory before he could get there; but the +express train felt slow to his anxious thoughts as it flashed +out of the station. Mr Morgan and his wife were in their +garden, talking about the encounter in Prickett's Lane, +when the train plunged past, waking all the echoes; and +Mrs Morgan, by way of making a diversion, appealed to +the Rector about those creepers, with which she hoped in +a year or two to shut out the sight of the railway. "The +Virginian creeper would be the best," said the Rector's +wife; and they went in to calculate the expenses of bringing +Mr Wentworth before Dr Lushington. Miss Dora, at very +nearly the same moment, was confiding to her sister +Cecilia, under vows of secrecy, the terrible sight she had +seen from the summer-house window. They went to bed +with very sad hearts in consequence, both these good +women. In the mean time, leaving all these gathering +clouds behind him, leaving his reputation and his work to +be discussed and quarrelled over as they might, the +Perpetual Curate rushed through the night, his heart +aching with trouble and anxiety, to help, if he could—and +if not, at least to stand by—Gerald, in this unknown crisis +of his brother's life.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Miss Dora Wentworth</span> rose very unrefreshed +next morning from her disturbed slumbers. It was hard to +sit at breakfast with Leonora, and not betray to her the +new anxiety; and the troubled sister ran into a countless +number of digressions, which would have inevitably +betrayed her had not Miss Leonora been at the moment +otherwise occupied. She had her little budget of letters as +usual, and some of them were more than ordinarily interesting. +She too had a favourite district, which was in +London, and where also a great work was going on; and +her missionary, and her Scripture-readers, and her colporteur +were all in a wonderful state of excitement about a +new gin-palace which was being fitted out and decorated +in the highest style of art on the borders of their especial +domain. They were moving heaven and earth to prevent +this temple of Satan from being licensed; and some of +them were so very certain of the Divine acquiescence in +their measures, that they announced the success of their +exertions to be a test of the faithfulness of God; which Miss +Leonora read out to her sisters as an instance of very +touching and beautiful faith. Miss Wentworth, perhaps, +was not so clear on that subject. During the course of her +silent life, she had prayed for various things which it had +not been God's pleasure to grant; and just now she, too, +was very anxious about Frank, who seemed to be in a bad +way; so she rather shook her head gently, though she did +not contravene the statement, and concluded with sadness +that the government of the earth might still go on as usual, +and God's goodness remain as certain as ever, even +though the public-house was licensed, or Frank did fall +away. This was the teaching of experience; but aunt +Cecilia did not utter it, for that was not her way. As for +Miss Dora, she agreed in all the colporteur's sentiments, +and thought them beautiful, as Leonora said, and was not +much disturbed by any opinion of her own, expressed or +unexpressed, but interspersed her breakfast with little +sighing ejaculations of the temptations of the world, and +how little one knew what was passing around one, and +"let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall," +which could not have failed to attract Miss Leonora's +attention, and draw forth the whole story of her sister's +suspicions, had not that quick-witted iron-grey woman +been, as we have already mentioned, too deeply engaged. +Perhaps her nephew's imaginary backsliding might have +excited even Miss Leonora to an interest deeper than that +which was awakened by the new gin-palace; but as it +happened, it was the humbler intelligence alone which +occupied itself with the supposed domestic calamity. Miss +Dora's breakfast was affected by it in a way which did not +appear in the morning meal of her sister; for somehow the +most fervent love of souls seldom takes away the appetite, +as the love of some unlucky individual occasionally does.</p> + +<p>When breakfast was over, Miss Dora made a very +elaborate excuse for going out by herself. She wanted to +match some wool for a blanket she was making, "For +Louisa's baby," the devoted aunt said, with a little +tremor. "Poor Louisa! if Gerald were to go any further, +you know, it would be so sad for her; and one would like to +help to keep up her heart, poor dear, as much as one +could."</p> + +<p>"By means of a blanket for the bassinet in scarlet and +white," said Miss Leonora; "but it's quite the kind of +comfort for Louisa. I wonder if she ever had the smallest +inkling what kind of a husband she has got. I don't think +Frank is far wrong about Gerald, though I don't pin my +faith to my nephew's judgment. I daresay he'll go mad or +do worse with all those crotchets of his—but what he +married Louisa for has always been a mystery to me."</p> + +<p>"I suppose because he was very fond of her," suggested +Miss Dora, with humility.</p> + +<p>"But why was he fond of her?—a goose!" said the +strong-minded sister, and so went about her letter-writing +without further comment, leaving aunt Dora to pursue her +independent career. It was with a feeling of relief, and yet +of guilt, that this timid inquirer set forth on her mission, +exchanging a sympathetic significant look with Miss +Wentworth before she went out. If she should meet Frank +at the door, looking dignified and virtuous, what could she +possibly say to him? and yet, perhaps, he had only been +imprudent, and did not mean anything. Miss Dora looked +round her on both sides, up and down Grange Lane, as she +went out into the lovely summer morning. Neither Frank +nor any other soul, except some nurse-maids, was to be +seen along the whole line of sunny road. She was relieved, +yet she was disappointed at the same time, and went +slowly up towards Elsworthy's shop, saying to herself that +she was sure Frank could not mean anything. It must have +been that forward little thing herself who had come up to +him when he was out for his walk, or it must have been an +accident. But then she remembered that she had heard +the Curate call Rosa pretty; and Miss Dora wondered +within herself what it mattered whether she was pretty or +not, and what he had to do with it, and shook her head +over the strange way men had of finding out such things. +For her own part, she was sure she never looked whether +the girl was pretty or not; and the anxious aunt had just +come round again, by a very circuitous and perplexing +course, to her original sentiment, and strengthened herself +in the thought that her dear Frank could not mean anything, +when she reached Elsworthy's door.</p> + +<p>That worthy trader was himself behind the counter, +managing matters with his usual exactness. Berlin wool +was one of the articles Mr Elsworthy dealt in, besides +newspapers, and books when they were ordered. Miss +Dora, who wore no crinoline, stumbled over her dress in +her agitation as she went in, and saw, at the first glance, +little Rosa, looking very blooming and pretty, tying up a +parcel at the other end of the shop. The poor lady did not +know how to enter upon so difficult a question. She offered +her wool humbly to be matched, and listened to Mr +Elsworthy's sentiments on the subject. He told her how he +always had his wools from the best houses in London, and +could match anything as was ever made in that line, and +was proud to say as he always gave satisfaction. Miss Dora +could not see any opening for the inquiries she hoped to +make; for how was it possible to intimate the possibility of +disapproval to an establishment so perfect in all its +arrangements? The probabilities are, that she would have +gone away without saying anything, had not Mr Elsworthy +himself given her a chance.</p> + +<p>"Miss Wodehouse has been my great help," said the +shopkeeper; "she is the nicest lady, is Miss Wodehouse, in +all Carlingford. I do respect them people; they've had +their troubles, like most families, but there aint many as +can lay their finger on the skeleton as is in their cupboard: +they've kept things close, and there aint a many as knows; +but Miss Wodehouse has spoke up for me, ma'am, right +and left, and most persons as count for anything in Carlingford +gets their fancy articles out o' my shop. Mr +Wentworth, ma'am, our respected clergyman, gets all his +papers of me—and partickler he is to a degree—and likes +to have 'em first thing afore they're opened out o' the +parcel. It's the way with gentlemen when they're young. +Mostly people aint so partickler later in life—not as I +could tell the reason why, unless it may be that folks gets +used to most things, and stop looking for anything new. +But there aint a many young gentlemen like our clergyman, +though I say it as shouldn't," continued Mr Elsworthy, +with a little effusion, as he succeeded in finding an exact +match for the scarlet wool.</p> + +<p>"And why shouldn't you say it, Mr Elsworthy?" said +Miss Dora, a little tartly; "you are not in any way particularly +connected with my nephew." Here she gave an +angry glance at Rosa, who had drawn near to listen, +having always in her vain little heart a certain palpitation +at Mr Wentworth's name.</p> + +<p>"I ask your pardon, ma'am; I'm clerk at St Roque's. It +aint often as we have the pleasure of seeing you there—more's +the pity," said the church official, "though I may +say there aint a church as perfect, or where the duty is +performed more beautiful, in all the country; and there +never was a clergyman as had the people's good at heart +like Mr Wentworth—not in my time. It aint no matter +whether you're rich or poor, young or old, if there's a +service as can be done to ever a one in his way, our +clergyman is the man to do it. Why, no further gone than +last night, ma'am, if you'll believe me, that little girl +there—"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Miss Dora, eagerly, looking with what was +intended to be a very stern and forbidding aspect in the +little girl's face.</p> + +<p>"She was a-coming up Grange Lane in the dark," said +Mr Elsworthy—"not as there was any need, and me +keeping two boys, but she likes a run out of an evening—when +Mr Wentworth see her, and come up to her. It aint +what many men would have done," said the admiring but +unlucky adherent of the suspected Curate: "he come up, +seeing as she was by herself, and walked by her, and gave +her a deal of good advice, and brought her home. Her +aunt and me was struck all of a heap to see the clergyman +a-standing at our door. 'I've brought Rosa home,' he said, +making believe a bit sharp. 'Don't send her out no more so +late at night,' and was off like a shot, not waiting for no +thanks. It's my opinion as there aint many such gentlemen. +I can't call to mind as I ever met with his fellow +before."</p> + +<p>"But a young creature like that ought not to have been +out so late," said Miss Dora, trying to harden herself into +severity. "I wonder very much that you like to walk up +Grange Lane in the dark. I should think it very unpleasant, +for my part; and I am sure I would not allow it, +Mr Elsworthy," she said firmly, "if such a girl belonged to +me."</p> + +<p>"But, please, I wasn't walking up Grange Lane," said +Rosa, with some haste. "I was at Mrs Hadwin's, where Mr +Wentworth lives. I am sure I did not want to trouble him," +said the little beauty, recovering her natural spirit as she +went on, "but he insisted on walking with me; it was all his +own doing. I am sure I didn't want him;" and here Rosa +broke off abruptly, with a consciousness in her heart that +she was being lectured. She rushed to her defensive +weapons by natural instinct, and grew crimson all over her +pretty little face, and flashed lightning out of her eyes, +which at the same time were not disinclined to tears. All +this Miss Dora made note of with a sinking heart.</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to say that you went to Mrs Hadwin's to +see Mr Wentworth?" asked that unlucky inquisitor, with a +world of horror in her face.</p> + +<p>"I went with the papers," said Rosa, "and I—I met him +in the garden. I am sure it wasn't my fault," said the girl, +bursting into petulant tears. "Nobody has any occasion to +scold me. It was Mr Wentworth as would come;" and Rosa +sobbed, and lighted up gleams of defiance behind her +tears. Miss Dora sat looking at her with a very troubled, +pale face. She thought all her fears were true, and matters +worse than she imagined; and being quite unused to +private inquisitions, of course she took all possible steps to +create the scandal for which she had come to look.</p> + +<p>"Did you ever meet him in the garden before?" asked +Miss Dora, painfully, in a low voice. During this conversation +Mr Elsworthy had been looking on, perplexed, not +perceiving the drift of the examination. He roused himself +up to answer now—a little alarmed, to tell the truth, by +the new lights thrown on the subject, and vexed to see how +unconsciously far both the women had gone.</p> + +<p>"It aint easy to go into a house in Grange Lane without +meeting of some one in the garden," said Mr Elsworthy; +"not as I mean to say it was the right thing for Rosa to be +going them errands after dark. My orders is against that, +as she knows; and what's the good of keeping two boys if +things isn't to be done at the right time? Mr Wentworth +himself was a-reproving of me for sending out Rosa, as it +might be the last time he was here; for she's one of them as +sits in the chancel and helps in the singing, and he feels an +interest in her, natural," said the apologetic clerk. Miss +Dora gave him a troubled look, but took no further notice +of his speech. She thought, with an instinctive contempt +for the masculine spectator, that it was impossible he +could know anything about it, and pursued her own wiser +way.</p> + +<p>"It is very wrong of you—a girl in your position," said +Miss Dora, as severely as she could in her soft old voice, +"to be seen walking about with a gentleman, even when +he is your clergyman, and, of course, has nothing else in +his head. Young men don't think anything of it," said the +rash but timid preacher; "of course it was only to take care +of you, and keep you out of harm's way. But then you +ought to think what a trouble it was to Mr Wentworth, +taking him away from his studies—and it is not nice for a +young girl like you." Miss Dora paused to take breath, not +feeling quite sure in her own mind whether this was the +right thing to say. Perhaps it would have been better to +have disbelieved the fact altogether, and declared it impossible. +She was much troubled about it, as she stood +looking into the flushed tearful face, with all that light of +defiance behind the tears, and felt instinctively that little +Rosa, still only a pretty, obstinate, vain, uneducated little +girl, was more than a match for herself, with all her +dearly-won experiences. The little thing was bristling with +a hundred natural weapons and defences, against which +Miss Dora's weak assault had no chance.</p> + +<p>"If it was a trouble, he need not have come," said Rosa, +more and more convinced that Mr Wentworth must certainly +have meant something. "I am sure <i>I</i> did not want +him. He insisted on coming, though I begged him not. I +don't know why I should be spoke to like this," cried the +little coquette, with tears, "for I never was one as looked +at a gentleman; it's them," with a sob, "as comes after +me."</p> + +<p>"Rosa," said Mr Elsworthy, much alarmed, "your aunt +is sure to be looking out for you, and I don't want you +here, not now; nor I don't want you again for errands, and +don't you forget. If it hadn't been that Mr Wentworth +thought you a silly little thing, and had a kind feeling for +my missis and me, you don't think he'd have took that +charge of you?—and I won't have my clergyman, as has +always been good to me and mine, made a talk of. You'll +excuse me, ma'am," he said, in an under tone, as Rosa +reluctantly went away—not to her aunt, however, but +again to her parcel at the other end of the shop—"she aint +used to being talked to. She's but a child, and don't know +no better: and after all," said Rosa's uncle, with a little +pride, "she is a tender-hearted little thing—she don't +know no better, ma'am; she's led away by a kind word—for +nobody can say but she's wonderful pretty, as is very +plain to see."</p> + +<p>"Is she?" said Miss Dora, following the little culprit to +the back-counter with disenchanted eyes. "Then you had +better take all the better care of her, Mr Elsworthy," she +said, with again a little asperity. The fact was, that Miss +Dora had behaved very injudiciously, and was partly +aware of it; and then this prettiness of little Rosa's, even +though it shone at the present moment before her, was not +so plain to her old-maidenly eyes. She did not make out +why everybody was so sure of it, nor what it mattered; and +very probably, if she could have had her own way, would +have liked to give the little insignificant thing a good +shake, and asked her how she dared to attract the eye of +the Perpetual Curate. As she could not do this, however, +Miss Dora gathered up her wool, and refused to permit Mr +Elsworthy to send it home for her. "I can carry it quite +well myself," said the indignant little woman. "I am sure +you must have a great deal too much for your boys to do, +or you would not send your niece about with the things. +But if you will take my advice, Mr Elsworthy," said Miss +Dora, "you will take care of that poor little thing: she will +be getting ridiculous notions into her head;" and aunt +Dora went out of the shop with great solemnity, quite +unaware that she had done more to put ridiculous notions +into Rosa's head than could have got there by means of a +dozen darkling walks by the side of the majestic Curate, +who never paid her any compliments. Miss Dora went +away more than ever convinced in her mind that Frank +had forgotten himself and his position, and everything +that was fit and seemly. She jumped to a hundred horrible +conclusions as she went sadly across Grange Lane with her +scarlet wool in her hand. What Leonora would say to such +an irremediable folly?—and how the Squire would receive +his son after such a <i>mésalliance</i>? "He might change his +views," said poor Miss Dora to herself, "but he could not +change his wife;" and it was poor comfort to call Rosa a +designing little wretch, and to reflect that Frank at first +could not have meant anything. The poor lady had a bad +headache, and was in a terribly depressed condition all +day. When she saw from the window of her summer-house +the pretty figure of Lucy Wodehouse in her grey cloak +pass by, she sank into tears and melancholy reflections. +But then Lucy Wodehouse's views were highly objectionable, +and she bethought herself of Julia Trench, who +had long ago been selected by the sisters as the clergyman's +wife of Skelmersdale. Miss Dora shook her head +over the blanket she was knitting for Louisa's baby, +thinking of clergymen's wives in general, and the way in +which marriages came about. Who had the ordering of +these inexplicable accidents? It was surely not +Providence, but some tricky imp or other who loved +confusion; and then Miss Dora paused with compunction, +and hoped she would be forgiven for entertaining, even +for one passing moment, such a wicked, wicked thought.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">On</span> the afternoon of the same day Mr Morgan went home +late, and frightened his wife out of her propriety by the +excitement and trouble in his face. He could do nothing +but groan as he sat down in the drawing-room, where she +had just been gathering her work together, and putting +stray matters in order, before she went up-stairs to make +herself tidy for dinner. The Rector paid no attention to the +fact that the dinner-hour was approaching, and only shook +his head and repeated his groan when she asked him +anxiously what was the matter. The good man was too +much flushed and heated and put out, to be able at first to +answer her questions.</p> + +<p>"Very bad, very bad," he said, when he had recovered +sufficient composure—"far worse than I feared. My dear, +I am afraid the beginning of my work in Carlingford will be +for ever associated with pain to us both. I am discouraged +and distressed beyond measure by what I have heard +to-day."</p> + +<p>"Dear William, tell me what it is," said the Rector's +wife.</p> + +<p>"I feared it was a bad business from the first," said the +disturbed Rector. "I confess I feared, when I saw a young +man so regardless of lawful authority, that his moral +principles must be defective, but I was not prepared for +what I have heard to-day. My dear, I am sorry to grieve +you with such a story; but as you are sure to hear it, +perhaps it is better that you should have the facts from me."</p> + +<p>"It must be about Mr Wentworth," said Mrs Morgan. +She was sorry; for though she had given in to her husband's +vehemence, she herself in her own person had +always been prepossessed in favour of the Perpetual +Curate; but she was also sensible of a feeling of relief to +know that the misfortune concerned Mr Wentworth, and +was not specially connected with themselves.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it's about Mr Wentworth," said the Rector. He +wiped his face, which was red with haste and exhaustion, +and shook his head. He was sincerely shocked and grieved, +to do him justice; but underneath there was also a certain +satisfaction in the thought that he had foreseen it, and that +his suspicions were verified. "My dear, I am very glad he +had not become intimate in our house," said Mr Morgan; +"that would have complicated matters sadly. I rejoice +that your womanly instincts prevented that inconvenience;" +and as the Rector began to recover himself, he +looked more severe than ever.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Mrs Morgan, with hesitation; for the +truth was, that her womanly instincts had pronounced +rather distinctly in favour of the Curate of St Roque's. "I +hope he has not done anything very wrong, William. I +should be very sorry; for I think he has very good qualities," +said the Rector's wife. "We must not let our personal +objections prejudice us in respect to his conduct otherwise. +I am sure you are the last to do that."</p> + +<p>"I have never known an insubordinate man who was a +perfect moral character," said the Rector. "It is very +discouraging altogether; and you thought he was engaged +to Wodehouse's pretty daughter, didn't you? I hope not—I +sincerely hope not. That would make things doubly bad; +but, to be sure, when a man is faithless to his most sacred +engagements, there is very little dependence to be placed +on him in other respects."</p> + +<p>"But you have not told me what it is," said the Rector's +wife, with some anxiety; and she spoke the more hastily as +she saw the shadow of a curate—Mr Morgan's own curate, +who must inevitably be invited to stop to dinner—crossing +the lawn as she spoke. She got up and went a little nearer +the window to make sure. "There is Mr Leeson," she said, +with some vexation. "I must run up-stairs and get ready for +dinner. Tell me what it is!"</p> + +<p>Upon which the Rector, with some circumlocution, +described the appalling occurrence of the previous night,—how +Mr Wentworth had walked home with little Rosa +Elsworthy from his own house to hers, as had, of course, +been seen by various people. The tale had been told with +variations, which did credit to the ingenuity of Carlingford; +and Mr Morgan's version was that they had walked +arm in arm, in the closest conversation, and at an hour +which was quite unseemly for such a little person as Rosa +to be abroad. The excellent Rector gave the story with +strong expressions of disapproval; for he was aware of +having raised his wife's expectations, and had a feeling, as +he related them, that the circumstances, after all, were +scarcely sufficiently horrifying to justify his preamble. +Mrs Morgan listened with one ear towards the door, on the +watch for Mr Leeson's knock.</p> + +<p>"Was that all?" said the sensible woman. "I think it +very likely it might be explained. I suppose Mr Leeson +must have stopped to look at my ferns; he is very tiresome +with his botany. That was all! Dear, I think it might be +explained. I can't fancy Mr Wentworth is a man to +commit himself in that way—if that is all!" said Mrs +Morgan; "but I must run up-stairs to change my dress."</p> + +<p>"That was not all," said the Rector, following her to the +door. "It is said that this sort of thing has been habitual, +my dear. He takes the 'Evening Mail,' you know, all to +himself, instead of having the 'Times' like other people, +and she carries it down to his house, and I hear of +meetings in the garden, and a great deal that is very +objectionable," said Mr Morgan, speaking very fast in +order to deliver himself before the advent of Mr Leeson. +"I'm afraid it is a very bad business. I don't know what to +do about it. I suppose I must ask Leeson to stay to dinner? +It is absurd of him to come at six o'clock."</p> + +<p>"Meetings in the garden?" said Mrs Morgan, aghast. "I +don't feel as if I could believe it. There is that tiresome +man at last. Do as you like, dear, about asking him to stay; +but I must make my escape," and the Rector's wife +hastened up-stairs, divided between vexation about Mr +Leeson and regret at the news she had just heard. She put +on her dress rather hastily, and was conscious of a little ill-temper, +for which she was angry with herself; and the +haste of her toilette, and the excitement under which she +laboured, aggravated unbecomingly that redness of which +Mrs Morgan was painfully sensible. She was not at all +pleased with her own appearance as she looked in the +glass. Perhaps that sense of looking not so well as usual +brought back to her mind a troublesome and painful idea, +which recurred to her not unfrequently when she was in +any trouble. The real Rector to whom she was married +was so different from the ideal one who courted her; could +it be possible, if they had married in their youth instead of +now, that her husband would have been less open to the +ill-natured suggestions of the gossips in Carlingford, and +less jealous of the interferences of his young neighbour? It +was hard to think that all the self-denial and patience of +the past had done more harm than good; but though she +was conscious of his defects, she was very loyal to him, +and resolute to stand by him whatever he might do or +say; though Mrs Morgan's "womanly instincts," which the +Rector had quoted, were all on Mr Wentworth's side, and +convinced her of his innocence to start with. On the whole, +she was annoyed and uncomfortable; what with Mr +Leeson's intrusion (which had occurred three or four times +before, and which Mrs Morgan felt it her duty to check) +and the Rector's uncharitableness, and her own insufficient +time to dress, and the disagreeable heightening of +her complexion, the Rector's wife felt in rather an unchristian +frame of mind. She did not look well, and she did +not feel better. She was terribly civil to the Curate when +she went down-stairs, and snubbed him in the most unqualified +way when he too began to speak about Mr +Wentworth. "It does not seem to me to be at all a likely +story," she said, courageously, and took away Mr +Leeson's breath.</p> + +<p>"But I hear a very unfavourable general account," said +the Rector, who was almost equally surprised. "I hear he +has been playing fast and loose with that very pretty +person, Miss Wodehouse, and that her friends begin to be +indignant. It is said that he has not been nearly so much +there lately, but, on the contrary, always going to +Elsworthy's, and has partly educated this little thing. My +dear, one false step leads to another. I am not so incredulous +as you are. Perhaps I have studied human nature a little +more closely, and I know that error is always fruitful;—that +is my experience," said Mr Morgan. His wife did not say +anything in answer to this deliverance, but she lay in wait +for the Curate, as was natural, and had her revenge upon +him as soon as his ill fate prompted him to back the Rector +out.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid Mr Wentworth had always too much +confidence in himself," said the unlucky individual who +was destined to be scapegoat on this occasion; "and as you +very justly observe, one wrong act leads to another. He +has thrown himself among the bargemen on such an equal +footing that I daresay he has got to like that kind of +society. I shouldn't be surprised to find that Rosa +Elsworthy suited him better than a lady with refined +tastes."</p> + +<p>"Mr Wentworth is a gentleman," said the Rector's wife, +with emphasis, coming down upon the unhappy Leeson in +full battle array. "I don't think he would go into the +poorest house, if it were even a bargeman's, without the +same respect of the privacy of the family as is customary +among—persons of our own class, Mr Leeson. I can't tell +how wrong or how foolish he may have been, of course—but +that he couldn't behave to anybody in a disrespectful +manner, or show himself intrusive, or forget the usages of +good society," said Mrs Morgan, who was looking all the +time at the unfortunate Curate, "I am perfectly convinced."</p> + +<p>It was this speech which made Mr Morgan "speak +seriously," as he called it, later the same night, to his wife, +about her manner to poor Leeson, who was totally extinguished, +as was to be expected. Mrs Morgan busied herself +among her flowers all the evening, and could not be +caught to be admonished until it was time for prayers: so +that it was in the sacred retirement of her own chamber +that the remonstrance was delivered at last. The Rector +said he was very sorry to find that she still gave way to +temper in a manner that was unbecoming in a clergyman's +wife; he was surprised, after all her experience, and the +way in which they had both been schooled in patience, to +find she had still to learn that lesson: upon which Mrs +Morgan, who had been thinking much on the subject, +broke forth upon her husband in a manner totally +unprecedented, and which took the amazed Rector +altogether by surprise.</p> + +<p>"Oh, William, if we had only forestalled the lesson, and +been <i>less</i> prudent!" she cried in a womanish way, which +struck the Rector dumb with astonishment; "if we hadn't +been afraid to marry ten years ago, but gone into life when +we were young, and fought through it like so many +people, don't you think it would have been better for us? +Neither you nor I would have minded what gossips said, or +listened to a pack of stories when we were five-and-twenty. +I think I was better then than I am now," said the +Rector's wife. Though she filled that elevated position, +she was only a woman, subject to outbreaks of sudden +passion, and liable to tears like the rest. Mr Morgan +looked very blank at her as she sat there crying, sobbing +with the force of a sentiment which was probably untranslatable +to the surprised, middle-aged man. He thought it +must be her nerves which were in fault somehow, and +though much startled, did not inquire farther into it, +having a secret feeling in his heart that the less that was +said the better on that subject. So he did what his good +angel suggested to him, kissed his wife, and said he was +well aware what heavy calls he had made upon her +patience, and soothed her the best way that occurred to +him. "But you were very hard upon poor Leeson, my +dear," said the Rector, with his puzzled look, when she +had regained her composure. Perhaps she was disappointed +that she had not been able to convey her real meaning +to her husband's matter-of-fact bosom; at all events, Mrs +Morgan recovered herself immediately, and flashed forth +with all the lively freshness of a temper in its first youth.</p> + +<p>"He deserved a great deal more than I said to him," +said the Rector's wife. "It might be an advantage to take +the furniture, as it was all new, though it is a perpetual +vexation to me, and worries me out of my life; but there +was no need to take the curate, that I can see. What right +has he to come day after day at your dinner-hour? he +knows we dine at six as well as we do ourselves; and I do +believe he knows what we have for dinner," exclaimed the +incensed mistress of the house; "for he always makes his +appearance when we have anything he likes. I hope I +know my duty, and can put up with what cannot be +mended," continued Mrs Morgan, with a sigh, and a +mental reference to the carpet in the drawing-room; "but +there are some things really that would disturb the temper +of an angel. I don't know anybody that could endure the +sight of a man always coming unasked to dinner;—and he +to speak of Mr Wentworth, who, if he were the greatest +sinner in the world, is <i>always</i> a gentleman!" Mrs Morgan +broke off with a sparkle in her eye, which showed that she +had neither exhausted the subject, nor was ashamed of +herself; and the Rector wisely retired from the controversy. +He went to bed, and slept, good man, and +dreamt that Sir Charles Grandison had come to be his +curate in place of Mr Leeson; and when he woke, concluded +quietly that Mrs Morgan had "experienced a little +attack on the nerves," as he explained afterwards to Dr Marjoribanks. +Her compunctions, her longings after the lost +life they might have lived together, her wistful womanish +sense of the impoverished existence, deprived of so many +experiences, on which they had entered in the dry maturity +of their middle age, remained for ever a mystery to her +faithful husband. He was very fond of her, and had a high +respect for her character; but if she had spoken Sanscrit, he +could not have had less understanding of the meaning her +words were intended to convey.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding, a vague idea that his wife was disposed +to side with Mr Wentworth had penetrated the +brain of the Rector, and was not without its results. He +told her next morning, in his curt way, that he thought it +would be best to wait a little before taking any steps in the +Wharfside business. "If all I hear is true, we may have to +proceed in a different way against the unhappy young +man," said Mr Morgan, solemnly; and he took care to +ascertain that Mr Leeson had an invitation somewhere else +to dinner, which was doing the duty of a tender husband, +as everybody will allow.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">I want</span> to know what all this means about young +Wentworth," said Mr Wodehouse. "He's gone off, it +appears, in a hurry, nobody knows where. Well, so they +say. To his brother's, is it? <i>I</i> couldn't know that; but look +here—that's not all, nor nearly all—they say he meets that +little Rosa at Elsworthy's every night, and walks home +with her, and all that sort of thing. I tell you I don't know—that's +what people say. You ought to understand all the +rights of it, you two girls. I confess I thought it was Lucy +he was after, for my part—and a very bad match, too, and +one I should never have given my consent to. And then +there is another fine talk about some fellow he's got at his +house. What's the matter, Molly?—she looks as if she was +going to faint."</p> + +<p>"Oh no," said Miss Wodehouse, faintly; "and I don't +believe a word about Rosa Elsworthy," she said, with +sudden impetuosity, a minute after. "I am sure Mr Wentworth +could vindicate himself whenever he likes. I daresay +the one story is just as true as the other; but then," +said the gentle elder sister, turning with anxious looks +towards Lucy, "he is proud, as is natural; and I shouldn't +think he would enter into explanations if he thought +people did not trust him without them."</p> + +<p>"That is all stuff," said Mr Wodehouse; "why should +people trust him? I don't understand trusting a man in all +sorts of equivocal circumstances, because he's got dark +eyes, &c., and a handsome face—which seems <i>your</i> code +of morality; but I thought he was after Lucy—that was my +belief—and I want to know if it's all off."</p> + +<p>"It never was on, papa," said Lucy, in her clearest +voice. "I have been a great deal in the district, you know, +and Mr Wentworth and I could not help meeting each +other; that is all about it: but people must always have +something to talk about in Carlingford. I hope you don't +think I and Rosa Elsworthy could go together," she went +on, turning round to him with a smile. "I don't think that +would be much of a compliment;" and, saying this, Lucy +went to get her work out of its usual corner, and sat down +opposite to her father, with a wonderfully composed face. +She was so composed, indeed, that any interested +beholder might have been justified in thinking that the +work suffered in consequence, for it seemed to take nearly +all Lucy's strength and leisure to keep up that look.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said Mr Wodehouse, "that's how it was? Then I +wonder why that confounded puppy came here so constantly? +I don't like that sort of behaviour. Don't you go +into the district any more and meet him—that's all I've got +to say."</p> + +<p>"Because of Rosa Elsworthy?" said Lucy, with a little +smile, which did not flicker naturally, but was apt to get +fixed at the corners of her pretty mouth. "That would +never do, papa. Mr Wentworth's private concerns are +nothing to us; but, you know, there is a great work going +on in the district, and <i>that</i> can't be interfered with," said +the young Sister of Mercy, looking up at him with a +decision which Mr Wodehouse was aware he could make +no stand against. And when she stopped speaking, Lucy +did a little work, which was for the district too. All this +time she was admitting to herself that she had been much +startled by this news about Rosa Elsworthy,—much +startled. To be sure, it was not like Mr Wentworth, and +very likely it would impair his influence; and it was +natural that any friend taking an interest in him and the +district, should be taken a little aback by such news. +Accordingly, Lucy sat a little more upright than usual, and +was conscious that when she smiled, as she had just done, +the smile did not glide off again in a natural way, but +settled down into the lines of her face with a kind of +spasmodic tenacity. She could do a great deal in the way +of self-control, but she could not quite command these +refractory muscles. Mr Wodehouse, who was not particularly +penetrating, could not quite make her out; he saw +there was something a little different from her ordinary +look about his favourite child, but he had not insight +enough to enable him to comprehend what it was.</p> + +<p>"And about his man who is staying at Mrs Hadwin's?" +said the perplexed churchwarden; "does any one know +who the fellow is? I don't understand how Wentworth has +got into all this hot water in a moment. Here's the Rector +in a state of fury,—and his aunts,—and now here's this +little bit of scandal to crown all;—and who is this fellow in +his house?"</p> + +<p>"It must be somebody he has taken in out of charity," +said Miss Wodehouse, with tears in her eyes; "I am sure it +is somebody whom he has opened his doors to out of +Christian charity and the goodness of his heart. I don't +understand how you can all desert him at the first word. +All the years he has been here, you know there never was +a whisper against him; and is it in reason to think he would +go so far wrong all in a moment?" cried the faithful +advocate of the Perpetual Curate. Her words were +addressed to Mr Wodehouse, but her eyes sought Lucy, +who was sitting very upright doing her work, without any +leisure to look round. Lucy had quite enough to occupy +her within herself at that emergency, and the tearful +appeal of her elder sister had no effect upon her. As for Mr +Wodehouse, he was more and more puzzled how to interpret +these tears in his daughter's eyes.</p> + +<p>"I don't make it out at all," said the perplexed father, +getting up to leave the room. "I hope <i>you</i> weren't in love +with him, Molly? you ought to have too much sense for +that. A pretty mess he'll find when he comes home; but he +must get out of it the best way he can, for <i>I</i> can't help him, +at least. I don't mean to have him asked here any more—you +understand, Lucy," he said, turning round at the +door, with an emphatic creak of his boots. But Lucy had +no mind to be seduced into any such confession of +weakness.</p> + +<p>"You are always having everybody in Carlingford to +dinner," said the young housekeeper, "and all the +clergymen, even <i>that</i> Mr Leeson; and I don't see why you +should except Mr Wentworth, papa; he has done nothing +wicked, so far as we know. I daresay he won't want to +bring Rosa Elsworthy with him; and why shouldn't he be +asked here?" said Lucy, looking full in his face with her +bright eyes. Mr Wodehouse was entirely discomfited, and +did not know what to say. "I wonder if you know what you +mean yourselves, you women," he muttered; and then, +with a shrug of his shoulders, and a hasty "settle it as you +please," the churchwarden's boots creaked hastily out of +the room, and out of the house.</p> + +<p>After this a dead silence fell upon the drawing-room and +its two occupants. They did not burst forth into mutual +comment upon this last piece of Carlingford news, as they +would have done under any other circumstances; on the +contrary, they bent over their several occupations with +quite an unusual devotion, not exchanging so much as a +look. Lucy, over her needlework, was the steadiest of the +two; she was still at the same point in her thoughts, owning +to herself that she was startled, and indeed shocked, by +what she had heard—that it was a great pity for Mr +Wentworth; perhaps that it was not quite what might have +been expected of him,—and then she checked herself, and +went back again to her original acknowledgment. To tell +the truth, though she assured herself that she had nothing +to do with it, a strange sense of having just passed through +an unexpected illness, lay underneath Lucy's composure. +It was none of her business, to be sure, but she could not +help feeling as if she had just had a fever, or some other +sudden unlooked-for attack, and that nobody knew of it, +and that she must get well as best she could, without any +help from without.</p> + +<p>It was quite half an hour before Miss Wodehouse got up +from the knitting which she had spoiled utterly, trying to +take up the dropped stitches with her trembling fingers, +and dropping others by every effort she made. The poor +lady went wistfully about the room, wandering from +corner to corner, as if in search of something; at last she +took courage to speak, when she found herself behind her +young sister. "Dear, I am sure it is not true," said Miss +Wodehouse, suddenly, with a little sob; and then she came +close to Lucy's chair, and put her hand timidly upon her +sister's shoulder. "Think how many good things you two +have done together, dear; and is it likely you are to be +parted like this?" said the injudicious comforter. It felt +rather like another attack of fever to Lucy, as unexpected +as the last.</p> + +<p>"Don't speak so, please," said the poor girl, with a +momentary shiver. "It is about Mr Wentworth you +mean?" she went on, after a little, without turning her +head. "I—am sorry, of course. I am afraid it will do him—harm," +and then she made a pause, and stumbled over her +sewing with fingers which felt feeble and powerless to the +very tips—all on account of this fever she had had. "But I +don't know any reason why you and I should discuss it, +Mary," she said, getting up in her turn, not quite sure +whether she could stand at this early period of her convalescence, +but resolved to try. "We are both Mr Wentworth's +friends—and we need not say any harm of him. I +have to get something out of the storeroom for to-night."</p> + +<p>"But, Lucy," said the tender, trembling sister, who did +not know how to be wise and silent, "<i>I</i> trust him, and <i>you</i> +don't. Oh, my dear, it will break my heart. I know some +part of it is not true. I know one thing in which he is quite—quite +innocent. Oh, Lucy, my darling, if you distrust him +it will be returning evil for good!" cried poor Miss Wodehouse, +with tears. As for Lucy, she did not quite know what +her sister said. She only felt that it was cruel to stop her, and +look at her, and talk to her; and there woke up in her mind a +fierce sudden spark of resistance to the intolerable.</p> + +<p>"Why do you hold me? I may have been ill, but I can +stand well enough by myself," cried Lucy, to her sister's +utter bewilderment. "That is, I—I mean, I have other +things to attend to," she cried, breaking into a few hot +tears of mortification over this self-betrayal; and so went +away in a strange glow and tremble of sudden passion, +such as had never been seen before in that quiet house. +She went direct to the storeroom, as she had said, and got +out what was wanted; and only after that was done permitted +herself to go up to her own room, and turn the key +in her door. Though she was a Sister of Mercy, and much +beloved in Prickett's Lane, she was still but one of Eve's +poor petulant women-children, and had it in her to fly at +an intruder on her suffering, like any other wounded +creature. But she did not make any wild demonstration of +her pain, even when shut up thus in her fortress. She sat +down on the sofa, in a kind of dull heaviness, looking into +vacancy. She was not positively thinking of Mr Wentworth, +or of any one thing in particular. She was only +conscious of a terrible difference somehow in everything +about her—in the air which choked her breathing, and the +light which blinded her eyes. When she came to herself a +little, she said over and over, half-aloud, that everything +was just the same as it had always been, and that to her at +least nothing had happened; but that declaration, though +made with vehemence, did not alter matters. The world +altogether had sustained a change. The light that was in it +was darkened, and the heart stilled. All at once, instead of +a sweet spontaneous career, providing for its own wants +day by day, life came to look like something which +required such an amount of courage and patience and +endurance as Lucy had not at hand to support her in the +way; and her heart failed her at the moment when she +found this out.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding, the people who dined at Mr Wodehouse's +that night thought it a very agreeable little party, +and more than once repeated the remark, so familiar to +most persons in society in Carlingford—that Wodehouse's +parties were the pleasantest going, though he himself was +humdrum enough. Two or three of the people present had +heard the gossip about Mr Wentworth, and discussed it, as +was natural, taking different views of the subject; and +poor Miss Wodehouse took up his defence so warmly, and +with such tearful vehemence, that there were smiles to be +seen on several faces. As for Lucy, she made only a very +simple remark on the subject. She said: "Mr Wentworth is +a great friend of ours, and I think I would rather not hear +any gossip about him." Of course there were one or two +keen observers who put a subtle meaning to this, and +knew what was signified by her looks and her ways all the +evening; but, most likely, they were altogether mistaken +in their suppositions, for nobody could possibly watch her +so closely as did Miss Wodehouse, who know no more than +the man in the moon, at the close of the evening, whether +her young sister was very wretched or totally indifferent. +The truth was certainly not to be discovered, for that night +at least, in Lucy's looks.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">The</span> next afternoon there were signs of a considerable +commotion in Mr Elsworthy's shop. Rosa had disappeared +altogether, and Mrs Elsworthy, with an ominous redness +on her cheeks, had taken the place generally held by that +more agreeable little figure. All the symptoms of having +been engaged in an affray from which she had retired not +altogether victorious were in Mrs Elsworthy's face, and +the errand-boys vanished from her neighbourhood with +inconceivable rapidity, and found out little parcels to +deliver which would have eluded their most anxious +search in other circumstances. Mr Elsworthy himself +occupied his usual place in the foreground, without the +usual marks of universal content and satisfaction with all +his surroundings which generally distinguished him. An +indescribable appearance of having been recently +snubbed hung about the excellent man, and his glances +towards the back-shop, and the glances directed from the +back-shop to him, told with sufficient significance the +quarter from which his humiliation had proceeded. It had +done him good, as such painful discipline generally does; +for he was clearing out some drawers in which sundry +quires of paper had broken loose and run into confusion, +with the air of a man who ought to have done it weeks ago. +As for the partner of his bosom, she was standing in the +obscure distance behind the counter knitting a blue +stocking, which was evidently intended for no foot but his. +There was a chair close by, but Mrs Elsworthy disdained +to sit down. She stood with her knitting in conscious +power, now and then suffering a confession of her faith to +escape her. "There's nothing as don't go contrary in this +world," said the discontented wife, "when a man's a fool." +It was hard upon Mr Elsworthy that his ears were sharp, +and that he knew exactly what this agreeable murmur +was. But he was wise in his generation, and made no +reply.</p> + +<p>Things were in this condition when, of all persons in +Carlingford, it occurred to Miss Leonora Wentworth to +enter Mr Elsworthy's shop. Not that she was alone, or +bent upon any errand of inquiry; for Miss Leonora seldom +moved about unattended by her sisters, whom she felt it +her duty to take out for exercise; and wonderfully enough, +she had not found out yet what was the source of Miss +Dora's mysteries and depression, having been still +occupied meantime by her own "great work" in her +London district, and the affair of the gin-palace, which +was still undecided. She had been talking a great deal +about this gin-palace for the last twenty-four hours; and to +hear Miss Leonora, you might have supposed that all the +powers of heaven must fail and be discomfited before this +potent instrument of evil, and that, after all, Bibles and +missionaries were much less effective than the stoppage of +the licence, upon which all her agents were bent. At all +events, such an object of interest had swept out from her +thoughts the vague figure of her nephew Frank, and aunt +Dora's mysterious anxieties on his account. When the +three ladies approached Elsworthy's, the first thing that +attracted their attention was Rosa, the little Rosa who had +been banished from the shop, and whom Mrs Elsworthy +believed to be expiating her sins in a back room, in tears +and darkness; instead of which the little girl was looking +out of her favourite window, and amusing herself much +with all that was going on in Grange Lane. Though she +was fluttered by the scolding she had received, Rosa only +looked prettier than usual with her flushed cheeks; and so +many things had been put into her nonsensical little head +during the last two days, especially by her aunt's denunciations, +that her sense of self-importance was very much +heightened in consequence. She looked at the Miss +Wentworths with a throb of mingled pride and alarm, +wondering whether perhaps she might know more of them +some day, if Mr Wentworth was really fond of her, as +people said—which thought gave Rosa a wonderful sensation +of awe and delighted vanity. Meanwhile the three +Miss Wentworths looked at her with very diverse feelings. +"I must speak to these people about that little girl, if +nobody else has sense enough to do it," said Miss Leonora; +"she is evidently going wrong as fast as she can, the little +fool;" and the iron-grey sister went into Mr Elsworthy's in +this perfectly composed and ordinary frame of mind, with +her head full of the application which was to be made to +the licensing magistrates today, in the parish of St +Michael, and totally unaware that anybody belonging to +herself could ever be connected with the incautious little +coquette at the window. Miss Dora's feelings were very +different. It was much against her will that she was going +at all into this obnoxious shop, and the eyes which she +hastily uplifted to the window and withdrew again with +lively disgust and dislike, were both angry and tearful; +"Little forward shameless thing," Miss Dora said to herself, +with a little toss of her head. As for Miss Wentworth, it +was not her custom to say anything—but she, too, looked +up, and saw the pretty face at the window, and secretly +concluded that it might all be quite true, and that she had +known a young man make a fool of himself before now for +such another. So they all went in, unwitting that they came +at the end of a domestic hurricane, and that the waters were +still in a state of disturbance. Miss Wentworth took the only +chair, as was natural, and sat down sweetly to wait for +Leonora, and Miss Dora lingered behind while her sister +made her purchases. Miss Leonora wanted some books—</p> + +<p>"And I came here," she said, with engaging candour, +"because I see no other shop in this part of the town +except Masters's, which, of course, I would not enter. It is +easy enough to do without books, but I can't afford to +compromise my principles, Mr Elsworthy;" to which Mr +Elsworthy had replied, "No, ma'am, of course not—such a +thing aint to be expected;" with one eye upon his customer, +and one upon his belligerent wife.</p> + +<p>"And, by the by, if you will permit me to speak about +what does not concern me," said Miss Leonora cheerfully, +"I think you should look after that little girl of yours more +carefully;—recollect I don't mean any offence; but she's +very pretty, you know, and very young, and vain, as a +matter of course. I saw her the other evening going down +Grange Lane, a great deal too late for such a creature to +be out; and though I don't doubt, you are very particular +where she goes—"</p> + +<p>It was at this conjuncture that Mrs Elsworthy, who +could not keep silence any longer, broke in ardently, with +all her knitting-needles in front of her, disposed like a kind +of porcupine mail—</p> + +<p>"I'm well known in Carlingford—better known than +most," said Mrs Elsworthy, with a sob; "such a thing as +not being particular was never named to me. I strive and I +toil from morning to night, as all things should be respectable +and kep' in good order; but what's the good? Here's +my heart broken, that's all; and Elsworthy standing gaping +like a gaby as he is. There aint nothing as don't go contrairy, +when folks is tied to a set of fools!" cried the indignant +matron. "As for pretty, I don't know nothing about it; I've +got too much to do minding my own business. Them as has +nothing to think of but stand in the shop and twiddle their +thumbs, ought to look to that; but, ma'am, if you'll believe +me, it aint no fault of mine. It aint my will to throw her in +any young gentleman's way; not to say a clergyman as +we're bound to respect. Whatever you does, ladies,—and I +shouldn't wonder at your taking away your custom, nor +nothing else as was a punishment—don't blame me!"</p> + +<p>"But you forget, Mrs Elsworthy, that we have nothing +to do with it,—nothing at all; my nephew knows very well +what he is about," said Miss Dora, in injudicious haste. +"Mr Wentworth is not at all likely to forget himself," +continued that poor lady, getting confused as her sister +turned round and stared at her. "Of course it was all out of +kindness;—I—I know Frank did not mean anything," +cried the unfortunate aunt. Leonora's look, as she turned +round and fixed her eyes upon her, took away what little +breath Miss Dora had.</p> + +<p>"Mr Wentworth?" asked Miss Leonora; "I should be glad +to know, if anybody would inform me, what Mr Wentworth +can possibly have to do with it? I daresay you misunderstood +me; I said you were to look after that little girl—your niece, +or whatever she is; I did not say anything about Mr +Wentworth," said the strong-minded sister, looking round +upon them all. For the moment she forgot all about the +licence, and turned upon Mr Elsworthy with an emphasis +which almost drive that troubled citizen to his knees.</p> + +<p>"That was how I understood it," said the clerk of St +Roque's, humbly; "there wasn't nothing said about Mr +Wentworth—nor there couldn't be as I know of, but what +was in his favour, for there aint many young men like our +clergyman left in the Church. It aint because I'm speaking +to respected ladies as is his relations; folks may talk," said +Mr Elsworthy, with a slight faltering, "but I never see his +equal; and as for an act of kindness to an orphan child—"</p> + +<p>"The orphan child is neither here <ins title="original reads not">nor</ins> there," said his +angry wife, who had taken up her post by his side; "a +dozen fathers and mothers couldn't have done better by +her than we've done; and to go and lay out her snares for +them as is so far above her, if you'll believe me, ma'am, +it's nigh broken my heart. She's neither flesh nor blood o' +mine," cried the aggrieved woman; "there would have +been a different tale to tell if she had belonged to me. I'd +have—murdered her, ma'am, though it aint proper to say +so, afore we'd have gone and raised a talk like this; it aint +my blame, if it was my dying word," cried Mrs Elsworthy, +relapsing into angry tears: "I'm one as has always shown +her a good example, and never gone flirting about, nor +cast my eyes to one side or another for the best man as +ever walked; and to think as a respectable family should +be brought to shame through her doings, and a gentleman +as is a clergyman got himself talked about—it's gone nigh +to kill me, that's what it's done," sobbed the virtuous +matron; "and I don't see as nobody cares."</p> + +<p>Miss Leonora had been woke up suddenly out of her +abstract occupations; she penetrated to the heart of the +matter while all this talk was going on. She transfixed her +sister Dora, who seemed much inclined to cry like Mrs +Elsworthy, with a look which overwhelmed that trembling +woman; then she addressed herself with great suavity to +the matter in hand.</p> + +<p>"I suppose it is this poor little foolish child who has been +getting herself talked about?" said Miss Leonora. "It's a +pity, to be sure, but I daresay it's not so bad as you think. +As for her laying snares for people above her, I wouldn't +be afraid of that. Poor little thing! It's not so easy as you +think laying snares. Perhaps it's the new minister at Salem +Chapel who has been paying attention to her? I would not +take any notice of it if I were you. Don't let her loll about +at the window as she's doing, and don't let her go out so +late, and give her plenty of work to do. My maid wants +some one to help in her needlework. Perhaps this child +would do, Cecilia?" said Miss Leonora. "As for her snares, +poor thing, I don't feel much afraid of them. I daresay if +Mr Wentworth had Sunday classes for the young people as +I wished him to have, and took pains to give them proper +instruction, such things would not happen. If you send her +to my maid, I flatter myself she will soon come to her +senses. Good morning; and you will please to send me the +books—there are some others I want you to get for me +next week," said Mr Elsworthy's patroness. "I will follow +you, Dora, please," and Miss Leonora swept her sisters +out before her, and went upon her way with indescribable +grandeur. Even little Rosa felt the change, where she sat +at the window looking out. The little vain creature no +longer felt it possible to believe, as she looked after them, +that she ever could be anything to the Miss Wentworths +except a little girl in a shop. It shook her confidence in +what people said; and it was as well for her that she +withdrew from the window at that conjuncture, and so had +an opportunity of hearing her aunt come up-stairs, and of +darting back again to the penitential darkness of her own +chamber at the back of the house—which saved Rosa +some angry words at least.</p> + +<p>As for Miss Leonora Wentworth, she said nothing to her +sisters on this new subject. She saw them safely home to +their own apartments, and went out again without explaining +her movements. When she was gone, Miss +Wentworth listened to Miss Dora's doubts and tears with +her usual patience, but did not go into the matter much. +"It doesn't matter whether it is your fault or not," said +aunt Cecilia, with a larger amount of words than usual, +and a sharpness very uncommon with her; "but I daresay +Leonora will set it all right." After all, the confidence +which the elder sister had in Leonora was justified. She +did not entirely agree with her about the "great work," +nor was disposed to connect the non-licensing of the gin-palace +in any way with the faithfulness of God: but she +comprehended in her gentle heart that there were other +matters of which Leonora was capable. As for Miss Dora, +she went to the summer-house at last, and, seating herself +at the window, cried under her breath till she had a very +bad headache, and was of no use for any purpose under +heaven. She thought nothing less than that Leonora had +gone abroad to denounce poor Frank, and tell everybody +how wicked he was; and she was so sure her poor dear boy +did not mean anything! She sat with her head growing +heavier and heavier, watching for her sister's return, and +calculating within herself how many places Leonora must +have called at, and how utterly gone by this time must be +the character of the Perpetual Curate. At last, in utter +despair, with her thin curls all limp about her poor cheeks, +Miss Dora had to go to bed and have the room darkened, +and swallow cups of green tea and other nauseous compounds, +at the will and pleasure of her maid, who was +learned in headache. The poor lady sobbed herself to +sleep after a time, and saw, in a hideous dream, her sister +Leonora marching from house to house of poor Frank's +friends, and closing door after door with all sorts of clang +and dash upon the returning prodigal. "But oh, it was not +my fault—oh, my dear, she found it out herself. You do +not think <i>I</i> was to blame?" sobbed poor aunt Dora in her +troubled slumber; and her headache did not get any better +notwithstanding the green tea.</p> + +<p>Miss Dora's visions were partly realised, for it was quite +true that her iron-grey sister was making a round of calls +upon Frank's friends. Miss Leonora Wentworth went out +in great state that day. She had her handsomest dress on, +and the bonnet which her maid had calculated upon as her +own property, because it was much too nice for Miss +Leonora. In this impossible attire she went to see Mrs +Hadwin, and was very gracious to that unsuspecting woman, +and learned a few things of which she had not the least +conception previously. Then she went to the Miss +Wodehouses, and made the elder sister there mighty +uncomfortable by her keen looks and questions; and what +Miss Leonora did after that was not distinctly known to +any one. She got into Prickett's Lane somehow, and +stumbled upon No. 10, much to the surprise of the inhabitants; +and before she returned home she had given Mrs +Morgan her advice about the Virginian creeper which was +intended to conceal the continual passage of the railway +trains. "But I would not trust to trellis-work. I would build +up the wall a few feet higher, and then you will have some +satisfaction in your work," said Miss Leonora, and left the +Rector's wife to consider the matter in rather an agreeable +state of mind, for that had been Mrs Morgan's opinion all +along. After this last visit the active aunt returned home, +going leisurely along George Street, and down Grange +Lane, with meditative steps. Miss Leonora, of course, +would not for kingdoms have confessed that any new light +had come into her mind, or that some very ordinary +people in Carlingford, no one of whom she could have +confidently affirmed to be a converted person, had left a +certain vivid and novel impression upon her thoughts. She +went along much more slowly than usual in this new mood +of reflectiveness. She was not thinking of the licensing +magistrates of St Michael's nor the beautiful faith of the +colporteur. Other ideas filled her mind at the moment. +Whether perhaps, after all, a man who did his duty by rich +and poor, and could encounter all things for love and +duty's sake, was not about the best man for a parish priest, +even though he did have choristers in white surplices, and +lilies on the Easter altar? Whether it might not be a +comfort to know that in the pretty parsonage at Skelmersdale +there was some one ready to start at a moment's +notice for the help of a friend or the succour of a soul—brother +to Charley who won the Cross for valour, and not +unworthy of the race? Some strange moisture came into +the corners of Miss Leonora's eyes. There was Gerald too, +whom the Perpetual Curate had declared to be the best +man he ever knew; and the Evangelical woman, with all +her prejudices, could not in her heart deny it. Various +other thoughts of a similar description, but too shadowy to +bear expression, came in spite of herself through Miss +Leonora's mind. "We know that God heareth not sinners; +but if any man be a worshipper of God and doeth His will, +him He heareth;" and it occurred to her vaguely, for the +first time, that she was harder to please than her Master. +Not that such an idea could get possession of a mind so +well fortified, at the first assault; but it was strange how +often the thought came back to her that the man who had +thrilled through all those people about Prickett's Lane a +kind of vague sense that they were Christians, and not +hopeless wretches, forgotten of God; and who had taken +in the mysterious lodger at Mrs Hadwin's, bearing the +penalty of suspicion without complaint, would be true at +his post wherever he might be, and was a priest of God's +appointing. Such were the strangely novel ideas which +went flashing through Miss Leonora's mind as she went +home to dinner, ejecting summarily the new gin-palaces +and her favourite colporteur. If anybody had stated them +in words, she would have indignantly scouted such latitudinarian +stuff; but they kept flickering in the strangest +fluctuations, coming and going, bringing in native +Wentworth prejudices and natural affections to overcome +all other prepossessions, in the most inveterate, unexplainable +way. For it will be apparent that Miss Leonora, +being a woman of sense, utterly scorned the Rosa +Elsworthy hypothesis, and comprehended as nearly how it +happened as it was possible for any one unaware of the +facts to do.</p> + +<p>Such were the good and bad angels who fought over the +Curate's fate while he was away. He might have been +anxious if he had known anything about them, or had +been capable of imagining any such clouds as those which +overshadowed his good name in the lively imagination of +Carlingford. But Rosa Elsworthy never could have +occurred to the unconscious young man as a special danger, +any more than the relenting in the heart of his aunt +Leonora could have dawned upon him as a possible +happiness. To tell the truth, he had left home, so far as he +himself was concerned, in rather a happy state of mind +than otherwise, with healthful impulses of opposition to +the Rector, and confidence in the sympathy of Lucy. To +hear that Lucy had given him up, and that Miss Leonora +and Mrs Morgan were the only people who believed in +him, would have gone pretty far at this moment to make +an end of the Perpetual Curate. But fortunately he knew +nothing about it; and while Lucy held her head high with +pain, and walked over the burning coals a conscious +martyr, and Miss Dora sobbed herself asleep in her +darkened room, all on his account, there was plenty of +trouble, perplexity, and distress in Wentworth Rectory to +occupy to the full all the thoughts and powers of the +Curate of St Roque's.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">It</span> was mid-day, and more than twelve hours after he had +left Carlingford, before Mr Wentworth reached the +Rectory. He had snatched a few hours' sleep in London, +where he was obliged to pause because of the trains, which +did not correspond; and accordingly, though he was very +anxious about Gerald, it was with a mien and gait very +much like his usual appearance that he jumped out of the +railway carriage at the little station which was on his +father's property, and where everybody knew the +Squire's son. Left in entire uncertainty as he was in +respect to the trouble which <ins title="original reads has">had</ins> overtaken his brother, it +was a little comfort to the Curate to find that everybody +looked surprised to see him, and that nobody seemed to +know of any cause demanding his presence. All was well +at the Hall, so far as the station-master knew; and as for +the Rector, he had no special place in the local report +which the handiest porter supplied "Mr Frank"—a blessed +neglect, which was very consolatory to the heart of the +anxious brother, to whom it became evident that nothing +had happened, and who began to hope that Gerald's wife, +who never was very wise, had been seized with some +merely fantastic terror. With this hope he walked on +briskly upon the familiar road to his brother's house, +recovering his courage, and falling back upon his own +thoughts, and at last taking pleasure in the idea of telling +all his troubles to Gerald, and getting strength and enlightenment +from his advice. He had come quite into this view +of the subject when he arrived at the Rectory, and saw the +pretty old-fashioned house, with its high ivied garden-walls, +and the famous cedar on the lawn, standing all +secure and sweet in the early sunshine, like something too +steadfast to be moved, as if sorrow or conflict could never +enter there. Unconsciously to himself, the perfect tranquillity +of everything altered the entire scope of Frank +Wentworth's thoughts. He was no longer in anxiety about +his brother. He was going to ask Gerald's advice upon his +own troubles, and lay the difficulties and dangers of his +position before the clear and lucid eyes of the best man he +ever knew.</p> + +<p>It shook him a little out of his position, however, to find +himself admitted with a kind of scared expectation by Mrs +Gerald Wentworth's maid, who made no exclamation of +wonder at the sight of him, but opened the door in a +troubled, stealthy way, strangely unlike the usual customs +of the place. "Is my brother at home?" said the Curate, +going in with a step that rang on the hall, and a voice that +sounded into the house. He would have proceeded +straight, as usual, to Gerald's study after this question, +which was one of form merely, but for the disturbed looks +of the woman, who put up her hand imploringly. "Oh +hush! Mr Frank; hush! My mistress wants to see you first. +She said I was to show you into her sitting-room," said the +maid, half in a whisper, and led him hastily down a side-passage +to a little out-of-the-way room, which he knew +was where Louisa was wont to retire when she had her +headaches, as was well known to all the house of Wentworth. +The Curate went in with some impatience and +some alarm to this retired apartment. His eyes, dazzled by +the sunshine, could not penetrate at first the shadowy +greenness of the room, which, what with the trees without +and the Venetian blind within, was lost in a kind of +twilight, grateful enough after a while, but bewildering at +the first moment. Out of this darkness somebody rose as +he entered, and walked into his arms with trembling +eagerness. "Oh Frank, I am so thankful you are come! +now perhaps something may be done; for <i>you</i> always +understood," said his little sister-in-law, reaching up to +kiss him. She was a tiny little woman, with soft eyes and a +tender little blooming face, which he had never before +seen obscured by any cloud, or indeed moved by any +particular sentiment. Now the firmament was all overcast, +and Louisa, it was evident, had been sitting in the shade of +her drawn blinds, having a quiet cry, and going into all her +grievances. To see such a serene creature all clouded over +and full of tears, gave the Curate a distinct shock of alarm +and anxiety. He led her back to her sofa, seeing clearer +and clearer, as he watched her face, the plaintive lines of +complaint, the heavy burden of trouble which she was +about to cast on his shoulders. He grew more and more +afraid as he looked at her. "Is Gerald ill?" he said, with a +thrill of terror; but even this could scarcely account for the +woeful look of all the accessories to the picture.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank, I am so glad you are come!" said Louisa +through her tears. "I felt sure you would come when you +got my letter. Your father thinks I make a fuss about +nothing, and Cuthbert and Guy do nothing but laugh at +me, as if they could possibly know; but you always understand +me, Frank. I knew it was just as good as sending for +a brother of my own; indeed better," said Mrs Wentworth, +wiping her eyes; "for though Gerald is using me so badly, +I would not expose him out of his own family, or have +people making remarks—oh, not for the world!"</p> + +<p>"Expose him!" said the Curate, with unutterable +astonishment. "You don't mean to say you have any +complaint to make about Gerald?" The idea was so preposterous +that Frank Wentworth laughed; but it was not a +laugh pleasant to hear.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank, if you but knew all," said Louisa; "what I +have had to put up with for months—all my best feelings +outraged, and so many things to endure that were dreadful +to think of. And I that was always brought up so +differently; but now," cried the poor little woman, +bursting into renewed tears, "it's come to such a pass that +it can't be concealed any longer. I think it will break my +heart; people will be sure to say I have been to blame; and +how I am ever to hold up my head in society, and what is +to be my name, and whether I am to be considered a +widow—"</p> + +<p>"A widow!" cried the Perpetual Curate, in utter consternation.</p> + +<p>"Or worse," sobbed Gerald's poor little wife: "it feels +like being divorced—as if one had done something wrong; +and I am sure I never did anything to deserve it; but when +your husband is a Romish priest," cried the afflicted +woman, pressing her handkerchief to her eyes, "I would +just ask anybody what are you? You can't be his wife, +because he is not allowed to have any wife; and you can't +go back to your maiden name, because of the children; +and how can you have any place in society? Oh, Frank, I +think I shall go distracted," said poor Louisa; "it will feel +as if one had done something wicked, and been put out of +the pale. How can I be called Mrs Wentworth any more +when my husband has left me? and even if he is a priest, +and can't have any wife, still he will be alive, and I shall +not have the satisfaction of being a widow even. I am sure +I don't know what I say," she concluded, with a fresh +outburst; "for to be a widow would be a poor satisfaction, +and I don't know how I could ever, ever live without +Gerald; but to feel as if you were an improper person, and +all the children's prospects in life!—Oh, Frank!" cried the +weeping Louisa, burying her face in her handkerchief, "I +think I shall go distracted, and my heart will break."</p> + +<p>To all this strange and unexpected revelation the +startled Curate listened like a man in a dream. Possibly +his sister-in-law's representation of this danger, as seen +entirely from her own point of view, had a more alarming +effect upon him that any other statement of the case. He +could have gone into Gerald's difficulties with so much +sympathy and fellow-feeling that the shock would have +been trifling in comparison; and between Rome and the +highest level of Anglicanism there was no such difference +as to frighten the accustomed mind of the Curate of St +Roque's. But, seen from Louisa's side, matters appeared +very different: here the foundations of the earth were +shaking, and life itself going to pieces; even the absurdity +of her distress made the whole business more real; and the +poor little woman, whose trouble was that she herself +would neither be a wife nor a widow, had enough of truth +on her side to unfold a miserable picture to the eyes of the +anxious spectator. He did not know what answer to make +her; and perhaps it was a greater consolation to poor +Louisa to be permitted to run on—</p> + +<p>"And you know it never needed to have come to this if +Gerald had been like other people," she said, drying her +tears, and with a tone of remonstrance. "Of course it is a +family living, and it is not likely his own father would have +made any disturbance; and there is no other family in the +parish but the Skipwiths, and they are great friends, and +never would have said a word. He might have preached in +six surplices if he had liked," cried poor Louisa—"who +would have minded? And as for confession, and all that, I +don't believe there is anybody in the world who had done +any wrong that could have helped confessing to Gerald; he +is so good—oh, Frank, you know he is so good!" said the +exasperated little wife, overcome with fondness and +admiration and impatience, "and there is nobody in the +parish that I ever heard of that does not worship him; but +when I tell him so, he never pays the least attention. And +then Edward Plumstead and he go on talking about subscription, +and signing articles, and nonsense, till they +make my head swim. Nobody, I am sure, wants Gerald to +subscribe or sign articles. I am sure I would subscribe any +amount," cried the poor little woman, once more falling +into tears—"a thousand pounds if I had it, Frank—only to +make him hear reason; for why should he leave Wentworth, +where he can do what he likes, and nobody will +interfere with him? The Bishop is an old friend of my +father's, and I am sure he never would say anything; and +as for candles and crosses and—anything he pleases, +Frank—"</p> + +<p>Here poor Louisa paused, and put her hand on his arm, +and looked up wistfully into his face. She wanted to +convince herself that she was right, and that the faltering +dread she had behind all this, of something more mysterious +than candles or crosses—something which she did +not attempt to understand—was no real spectre after all. +"Oh, Frank, I am sure I never would oppose him, nor +your father, nor anybody; and why should he go and take +some dreadful step, and upset everything?" said Mrs +Wentworth. "Oh, Frank! we will not even have enough to +live upon; and as for me, if Gerald leaves me, how shall I +ever hold up my head again, or how will anybody know +how to behave to me? I can't call myself Miss Leighton +again, after being married so long; and if I am not his wife, +what shall I be?" Her crying became hysterical as she +came back to this point; and Mr Wentworth sat by her +trying to soothe her, as wretched as herself.</p> + +<p>"But I must see Gerald, Louisa," said the Curate; "he +has never written to me about this. Perhaps things have +not gone so far as you think; but as for the crosses and the +candles, you know, and not being interfered with—"</p> + +<p>"I would promise to do anything he likes," cried the +weeping woman. "I never would worry him any more +about anything. After aunt Leonora was here, perhaps I +said things I should not have said; but, oh Frank, whatever +he likes to do I am sure I will give in to it. I don't +<i>really</i> mind seeing him preach in his surplice, only you +know poor papa was so <i>very</i> Low-Church; and as for the +candles, what are they to pleasing one's husband? Oh, +Frank, if you would only tell him—I can't argue about +things like a man—tell him nobody will ever interfere, and +he shall do whatever he pleases. I trust to you to say +<i>everything</i>," said the poor wife. "You can reason with him +and explain things. Nobody understands Gerald like you. +You will not forsake me in my trouble, Frank? I thought +immediately of you. I knew you could help us, if anybody +could. You will tell him all I have said," she continued, +rising as Mr Wentworth rose, and going after him to the +door, to impress once more upon him the necessities of the +case. "Oh, Frank, remember how much depends upon it!—everything +in the world for me, and all the children's +prospects in life; and he would be miserable himself if he +were to leave us. You know he would?" said Louisa, +looking anxiously into his face, and putting her hand on +his arm. "Oh, Frank, you don't think Gerald could be +happy without the children—and me?"</p> + +<p>The terrible thought silenced her. She stopped crying, +and a kind of tearless horror and dread came over her +face. She was not very wise, but her heart was tender and +full of love in its way. What if perhaps this life, which had +gone so smoothly over her unthinking head without any +complications, should turn out to be a lie, and her happiness +a mere delusion? She could not have put her thoughts +into words, but the doubt suddenly came over her, putting +a stop to all her lamentations. If perhaps Gerald <i>could</i> be +happy without the children and herself, what dreadful +fiction had all her joy been built upon! Such an inarticulate +terror seemed to stop the very beating of her heart. It was +not a great calamity only but an overthrowal of all confidence +in life; and she shivered before it like a dumb +creature piteously beholding an approaching agony which +it could not comprehend. The utterance of her distress was +arrested upon her lips,—she looked up to her brother with +an entreating look, so suddenly intensified and grown +desperate that he was startled by it. It alarmed him so +much that he turned again to lead her back to her sofa, +wondering what momentary passion it could be which had +woke such a sudden world of confused meaning in Louisa's +eyes.</p> + +<p>"You may be sure he could not," said the Curate, +warmly. "Not happy, certainly; but to men like Gerald +there are things in the world dearer than happiness," he +said, after a little pause, with a sigh, wondering to himself +whether, if Lucy Wodehouse were his, his dearest duty +could make him consent to part with her. "If he thinks of +such a step, he must think of it as of martyrdom—is that a +comfort to you?" he continued, bending, in his pity and +wonder, over the trembling wife, who burst forth into +fresh tears as he spoke, and forgot her momentary horror.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank, go and speak to him, and tell him how +miserable I am, and what a dreadful thing it would be; tell +him everything, Frank. Oh, don't leave him till you have +persuaded him. Go, go; never mind me," cried Mrs +Wentworth; and then she went to the door after him once +more—"Don't say I sent for you. He—he might not be +pleased," she said, in her faltering, eager voice; "and oh, +Frank, consider how much hangs upon what you say." +When he left her, Louisa stood at the door watching him +as he went along the passage towards her husband's room. +It was a forlorn-hope; but still the unreasoning, uncomprehending +heart took a little comfort from it. She +watched his figure disappearing along the narrow passage +with a thrill of mingled anxiety and hope; arguing with +Gerald, though it was so ineffectual when she tried it, +might still be of some avail in stronger hands. His brother +understood him, and could talk to him better than anybody +else could; and though she had never convinced +anybody of anything all her life, Mrs Wentworth had an +inalienable confidence in the effect of "being talked to." +In the momentary stimulus she went back to her darkened +room and drew up the blind, and went to work in a +tremulous way; but as the slow time went on, and Frank +did not return, poor Louisa's courage failed her; her +fingers refused their office, and she began to imagine all +sorts of things that might be going on in Gerald's study. +Perhaps the argument might be going the wrong way; +perhaps Gerald might be angry at his brother's interference; +perhaps they might come to words—they who +had been such good friends—and it would be her fault. +She jumped up with her heart beating loud when she +heard a door opened somewhere; but when nobody came, +grew sick and faint, and hid her face, in the impatience of +her misery. Then the feeling grew upon her that those +precious moments were decisive, and that she must make +one last appeal, or her heart would burst. She tried to +resist the impulse in a feeble way, but it was not her +custom to resist impulses, and it got the better of her; and +this was why poor Louisa rushed into the library, just as +Frank thought he had made a little advance in his +pleading, and scattered his eloquence to the winds with a +set of dreadful arguments which were all her own.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">The</span> Curate of St Roque's found his brother in his library, +looking very much as he always looked at first glance. But +Gerald was not reading nor writing nor doing anything. He +was seated in his usual chair, by his usual table, with all +the ordinary things around. Some manuscript—lying +loosely about, and looking as if he had thrown down his +pen in disgust, and pushed it away from him in the middle +of a sentence—was on the table, and an open book in his +other hand; but neither the book nor the manuscript +occupied him; he was sitting leaning his head in his hands, +gazing blankly out through the window, as it appeared, at +the cedar, which flung its serene shadow over the lawn +outside. He jumped up at the sound of his brother's voice, +but seemed to recall himself with a little difficulty even for +that, and did not look much surprised to see him. In short, +Frank read in Gerald's eyes that he would not at that +moment have been surprised to see any one, and that, in +his own consciousness, the emergency was great enough to +justify any unlooked-for appearance, though it might be +from heaven or from the grave.</p> + +<p>"I am glad you have come," he said, after they had +greeted each other, his mouth relaxing ever so slightly into +the ghost of his old smile; "you and I always understood +each other, and it appears I want interpretation now. And +one interpretation supposes many," he said with a gleam, +half of pathos half of amusement, lighting up his face for a +moment; "there is no such thing as accepting a simple +version even of one man's thoughts. You have come at a +very fit time, Frank—that is, for me."</p> + +<p>"I am glad you think so," said the other brother; and +then there was a pause, neither liking to enter upon the +grand subject which stood between them.</p> + +<p>"Have you seen Louisa?" said Gerald. He spoke like a +man who was ill, in a preoccupied interrupted way. Like a +sick man, he was occupied with himself, with the train of +thought which was always going on in his mind whatever +he might be doing, whether he was working or resting, +alone or in company. For months back he had carried it +with him everywhere. The cedar-tree outside, upon which +his thoughtful eyes fell as he looked straight before him +out of the library window, was all garlanded with the +reasonings and questionings of this painful spring. To +Frank's eyes, Gerald's attention was fixed upon the fluttering +of a certain twig at the extremity of one of those +broad solemn immovable branches. Gerald, however, saw +not the twig, but one of his hardest difficulties which was +twined and twined in the most inextricable way round that +little sombre cluster of spikes; and so kept looking out, not +at the cedar, but at the whole confused yet distinct array +of his own troubled thoughts.</p> + +<p>"If you have seen Louisa, she has been talking to you, +no doubt," he said, after another little pause, with again +the glimmer of a smile. "We have fallen upon troubles, +and we don't understand each other, Frank. That's all +very natural; she does not see things from my point of view: +I could not expect she should. If I could see from hers, it +might be easier for us all; but that is still less to be +expected; and it is hard upon her, Frank—very hard," +said Gerald, turning round in his old ingenuous way, with +that faculty for seeing other people's difficulties which was +so strong a point in his character. "She is called upon to +make, after all, perhaps, the greater sacrifice of the two; +and she does not see any duty in it—the reverse, indeed. +She thinks it a sin. It is a strange view of life, to look at it +from Louisa's point. Here will be an unwilling, unintentional +martyrdom; and it is hard to think I should take all +the merit, and leave my poor little wife the suffering +without any compensation!" He began to walk up and +down the room with uneasy steps, as if the thought was +painful, and had to be got rid of by some sudden movement. +"It must be that God reckons with women for what +they have endured, as with men for what they have done," +said Gerald. He spoke with a kind of grieved certainty, +which made his brother feel, to start with, the hopelessness +of all argument.</p> + +<p>"But must this be? Is it necessary to take such a final, +such a terrible step?" said the Perpetual Curate.</p> + +<p>"I think so." Gerald went to the window, to resume his +contemplation of the cedar, and stood there with his back +turned to Frank, and his eyes going slowly over all the +long processes of his self-argument, laid up as they were +upon those solemn levels of shadow. "Yes—you have gone +so far with me; but I don't want to take you any farther, +Frank. Perhaps, when I have reached the perfect peace to +which I am looking forward, I may try to induce you to +share it, but at present there are so many pricks of the +flesh. You did not come to argue with me, did you?" and +again the half-humorous gleam of old came over Gerald's +face as he looked round. "Louisa believes in arguing," he +said, as he came back to the table and took his seat again; +"not that she has ever gained much by it, so far as I am +aware. Poor girl! she talks and talks, and fancies she is +persuading me; and all the time my heart is bleeding for +her. There it is!" he exclaimed, suddenly hiding his face in +his hands. "This is what crushes one to think of. The rest +is hard enough, Heaven knows—separation from my +friends, giving up my own people, wounding and grieving, +as I know I shall, everybody who loves me. I could bear +that; but Louisa and her children—God help me, there's +the sting!"</p> + +<p>They were both men, and strong men, not likely to fall +into any sentimental weakness; but something between a +groan and a sob, wrung out of the heart of the elder +brother at the thought of the terrible sacrifice before him, +echoed with a hard sound of anguish into the quiet. It was +very different from his wife's trembling, weeping, hoping +agony; but it reduced the Curate more than ever to that +position of spectator which he felt was so very far from the +active part which his poor sister expected of him.</p> + +<p>"I don't know by what steps you have reached this +conclusion," said Frank Wentworth; "but even if you feel +it your duty to give up the Anglican Church (in which, of +course, I think you totally wrong," added the High +Churchman in a parenthesis), "I cannot see why you are +bound to abandon all duties whatever. I have not come to +argue with you; I daresay poor Louisa may expect it of +me, but I can't, and you know very well I can't. I should +like to know how it has come about all the same; but one +thing only, Gerald—a man may be a Christian without +being a priest. Louisa—"</p> + +<p>"Hush, I am a priest, or nothing. I can't relinquish my +life!" cried the elder brother, lifting his hands suddenly, as +if to thrust away something which threatened him. Then +he rose up again and went towards the window and his +cedar, which stood dark in the sunshine, slightly fluttered +at its extremities by the light summer-wind, but throwing +glorious level lines of shadow, which the wind could not +disturb, upon the grass. The limes near, and that one +delicate feathery birch which was Mrs Wentworth's pride, +had all some interest of their own on hand, and went +on waving, rustling, coquetting with the breezes and the +sunshine in a way which precluded any arbitrary line of +shade. But the cedar stood immovable, like a verdant +monument, sweeping its long level branches over the +lawn, passive under the light, and indifferent, except at its +very tops and edges, to the breeze. If there had been any +human sentiment in that spectator of the ways of man, +how it must have groaned and trembled under the pitiless +weight of thoughts, the sad lines of discussion and argument +and doubt, which were entangled in its branches! +Gerald Wentworth went to his window to refer to it, as if it +were a book in which all his contests had been recorded. +The thrill of the air in it tingled through him as he stood +looking out; and there, without looking at Frank, except +now and then for a moment when he got excited with his +subject, he went into the history of his struggle—a history +not unprecedented or unparalleled, such as has been told +to the world before now by men who have gone through it, +in various shapes, with various amounts of sophistry and +simplicity. But it is a different thing reading of such a +conflict in a book, and hearing it from lips pallid with the +meaning of the words they uttered, and a heart which was +about to prove its sincerity by voluntary pangs more hard +than death. Frank Wentworth listened to his brother with +a great deal of agreement in what he said, and again with +an acute perception of mistakes on Gerald's part, and +vehement impulses of contradiction, to which, at the same +time, it was impossible to give utterance; for there was +something very solemn in the account he was giving of +himself, as he stood with his face half turned to the +anxious listener, leaning on the window, looking into the +cedar. Gerald did not leave any room for argument or +remonstrance; he told his brother how he had been led +from one step to another, without any lingering touch of +possibility in the narrative that he might be induced to +retrace again that painful way. It was a path, once trod, +never to be returned upon; and already he stood steadfast +at the end, looking back mournfully, yet with a strange +composure. It would be impossible to describe the mixture +of love, admiration, impatience—even intolerance—which +swelled through the mind of the spectator as he +looked on at this wonderful sight, nor how hard he found it +to restrain the interruptions which rushed to his lips, the +eager arguments which came upon him in a flood, all his +own favourite fences against the overflow of the tide which +ran in lawful bounds in his own mind, but which had +inundated his brother's. But though it was next to impossible +to keep silence, it was altogether impossible to break +in upon Gerald's history of this great battle through which +he had just come. He <i>had</i> come through it, it was plain; the +warfare was accomplished, the weapons hung up, the +conflict over; and nothing could be more apparent than +that he had no intention of entering the battle-field again. +When he had ended, there was another pause.</p> + +<p>"I am not going to argue with you," said Frank +Wentworth; "I don't even need to tell you that I am +grieved to the heart. It isn't so very many years ago," said +the younger brother, almost too much touched by the +recollection to preserve his composure, "since I took all +my opinions from you; and since the time came for +independent action, I too have gone over all this ground. +My conclusions have been very different from yours, +Gerald. I see you are convinced, and I can say nothing; +but they do not convince me—you do not convince me, +nor the sight of your faith, though that is the most touching +of all arguments. Will you go back and go over it again?" +said the Curate, spurred, by a thought of poor Louisa, to +contradict himself, while the words were still on his lips.</p> + +<p>"No," said Gerald; "it would be of no use, Frank. We +should only grieve each other more."</p> + +<p>"Then I give up that subject," said the younger brother: +"but there is one matter which I must go back to. You may +go to Rome, and cease to be a priest of the Anglican +Church, but you cannot cease to be a man, to bear the +weight of your natural duties. Don't turn away, but hear +me. Gerald, Louisa—"</p> + +<p>"Don't say any more. Do you imagine I have not +thought of that?" said Gerald, once more, with a gesture of +pain, and something like terror; "I have put my hand to +the plough and I cannot go back. If I am not a priest, I am +nothing." But when he came to that point, his cedar-tree +no longer gave him any assistance; he came back to his +chair, and covered his face with his hands.</p> + +<p>"Louisa is your wife; you are not like a man free from +the bonds of nature," said the Curate of St Roque's. "It is +not for me to speak of the love between you; but I hold it, +as the Scripture says, for a holy mystery, like the love of +Christ for his Church—the most sacred of all bonds," said +the young man, with a certain touch of awe and emotion, +as became a young man and a true lover. He made a little +pause to regain command of himself before he continued, +"And she is dependent on you—outwardly, for all the +comfort of her life—and in her heart, for everything, +Gerald. I do not comprehend what that duty is which +could make you leave her, all helpless and tender, as you +know her to be, upon the mercies of the world. She herself +says"—and poor Louisa's complaint grew into pathos +under the subliming force of her advocate's sympathy—"that +she would be like a widow, and worse than a widow. +I am not the man to bid you suppress your convictions +because they will be your ruin, in the common sense of the +word; but, Gerald—your wife—"</p> + +<p>Gerald had bent his head down upon his clasped hands; +sometimes a great heave of his frame showed the last +struggle that was going on within him—a struggle more +painful, more profound, than anything that had gone +before. And the voice of the Curate, who, like his brother, +was nothing if not a priest, was choked, and painful with +the force of his emotion. He drew his breath hard between +his words: it was not an argument, but an admonition; an +appeal, not from a brother only, but from one who spoke +with authority, as feeling himself accredited from God. He +drew closer towards the voluntary martyr beside him, +the humbleness of his reverential love for his elder brother +mingling in that voice of the priest, which was natural to +him, and which he did not scruple to adopt. "Gerald,—your +wife," he said, in softened but firm tones, laying his +hand on his brother's arm. And it was at this moment, +when in his heart he felt that his influence might be of +some avail, and when all the powers of his mind were +gathering to bear upon this last experiment, that the door +opened suddenly, and poor Louisa, all flushed and tearful, +in womanish hot impatience and misery that knew no +prudence, burst, without any warning, into the room.</p> + +<p>"I can't bear it any longer," cried the poor wife. "I +knew you were talking it all over, and deciding what it was +to be; and when one's life is hanging on a chance, how can +one keep quiet and not interfere? Oh, Gerald, Gerald! I +have been a true wife to you. I know I am not clever; but I +would have died to do you any good. You are not going to +forsake me!" cried poor Louisa, going up to him and +putting her arms round him. "I said Frank was to tell you +everything, but a man can never tell what is in a woman's +heart. Oh, Gerald, why should you go and kill me! I will +never oppose you any more; whatever you want, I will +give in to it as freely as if it were my own way. I will make +<i>that</i> my own way, Gerald, if you will only listen to me. +Whatever changes you please, oh Gerald, I will never say +a word, nor your father, nor any one! If the Bishop should +interfere, we would all stand up for you. There is not a +soul in Wentworth to oppose—you know there is not. Put +anything you please in the church—preach how you +please—light the candles or anything. Gerald, you know it +is true I am saying— I am not trying to deceive you!" cried +the poor soul, bewildered in her folly and her grief.</p> + +<p>"No, Louisa, no—only you don't understand," said her +husband, with a groan: he had raised his head, and was +looking at her with a hopeless gleam of impatience in the +pity and anguish of his eyes. He took her little hand and +held it between his own, which were trembling with all +this strain—her little tender helpless woman's hand, +formed only for soft occupations and softer caresses; it was +not a hand which could help a man in such an emergency; +it was without any grasp in it to take hold upon him, or +force of love to part—a clinging impotent hand, such as +holds down, but cannot raise up. He held it in a close +tremulous pressure, as she stood looking down upon him, +questioning him with eager hopeful eyes, and taking comfort +in her ignorance from his silence, and the way in +which he held her. Poor Louisa concluded she was yet to +win the day.</p> + +<p>"I will turn Puseyite too," she said with a strange little +touch of attempted laughter. "I don't want to have any +opinions different from my husband's; and you don't think +your father is likely to do anything to drive you out of the +church? You have only given us a terrible fright, dear," +she continued, beginning to tremble again, as he shook his +head and turned away from her. "You did not really mean +such a dreadful thing as sending <i>me</i> away. You could not +do without me, Gerald—you know you could not." Her +breath was getting short, her heart quickening in its throbs—the +smile that was quivering on her face got no response +from her husband's downcast eyes. And then poor Louisa +lost all her courage; she threw herself down at his feet, +kneeling to him. "Oh, Gerald, it is not because you want +to get rid of me? You are not doing it for that? If you don't +stay in the Rectory, we shall be ruined—we shall not have +enough to eat! and the Rectory will go to Frank, and your +children will be cast upon the world—and what, oh what is +it for, unless it is to get rid of me?" cried Mrs Wentworth. +"You could have as much freedom as you like here at your +own living—nobody would ever interfere or say what are +you doing? and the Bishop is papa's old friend. Oh, +Gerald, be wise in time, and don't throw away all our +happiness for a fancy. If it was anything that could not be +arranged, I would not mind so much; but if we all promise +to give in to you, and that you shall do what you please, and +nobody will interfere, how can you have the heart to +make us all so wretched? We will not even be respectable," +said the weeping woman; "a family without any +father, and a wife without her husband—and he living all +the time! Oh, Gerald, though I think I surely might be +considered as much as candles, have the altar covered +with lights if you wish it; and if you never took off your +surplice any more, I would never say a word. You can do +all that and stay in the Rectory. You have not the heart—surely—surely +you have not the heart—all for an idea of +your own, to bring this terrible distress upon the children +and me?"</p> + +<p>"God help us all!" said Gerald, with a sigh of despair, as +he lifted her up sobbing in a hysterical fit, and laid her on +the sofa. He had to stand by her side for a long time +holding her hand, and soothing her, with deeper and +deeper shadows growing over his face. As for Frank, after +pacing the room in great agitation for some time, after +trying to interpose, and failing, he went away in a fever of +impatience and distress into the garden, wondering +whether he could ever find means to take up the broken +thread, and urge again upon his brother the argument +which, but for this fatal interruption, he thought might +have moved him. But gathering thoughts came thick upon +the Perpetual Curate. He did not go back to make another +attempt, even when he knew by the sounds through the +open windows that Louisa had been led to her own room +up-stairs. He stood outside and looked at the troubled +house, which seemed to stand so serene and secure in the +sunshine. Who could have supposed that it was torn +asunder in such a hopeless fashion? And Louisa's suggestion +came into his mind, and drove him wild with a sense +of horror and involuntary guilt, as though he had been +conspiring against them. "The Rectory will go to Frank." +Was it his fault that at that moment a vision of Lucy +Wodehouse, sweet and strong and steadfast—a delicate, +firm figure, on which a man could lean in his trouble—suddenly +rose up before the Curate's eyes? Fair as the +vision was, he would have banished it if he could, and +hated himself for being capable of conjuring it up at such a +time. Was it for him to profit by the great calamity which +would make his brother's house desolate? He could not +endure the thought, nor himself for finding it possible; and +he was ashamed to look in Gerald's face with even the +shadow of such an imagination on his own. He tapped at +the library window after a while, and told his brother that +he was going up to the Hall. Louisa had gone up-stairs, and +her husband sat once more, vacant yet occupied, by his +writing-table. "I will follow you presently," said Gerald. +"Speak to my father without any hesitation, Frank; it is +better to have it over while we are all together—for it must +be concluded now." And the Curate saw in the shadow of +the dim apartment that his brother lifted from the table the +grand emblem of all anguish and victory, and pressed +upon it his pale lips. The young man turned away with the +shadow of that cross standing black between him and the +sunshine. His heart ached at the sight of the symbol most +sacred and most dear in the world. In an agony of grief +and impatience, he went away sadly through the familiar +road to his father's house. Here had he to stand by and see +this sacrifice accomplished. This was all that had come of +his mission of consolation and help.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">The</span> Curate of St Roque's went sadly along the road he +knew so well from Wentworth Rectory to the Hall. There +was scarcely a tree nor the turning of a hedgerow which +had not its own individual memories to the son of the soil. +Here he had come to meet Gerald returning from Eton—coming +back from the university in later days. Here he +had rushed down to the old Rector, his childless uncle, +with the copy of the prize-list when his brother took his +first-class. Gerald, and the family pride in him, was interwoven +with the very path, and now— The young man +pressed on to the Hall with a certain bitter moisture +stealing to the corner of his eye. He felt indignant and +aggrieved in his love, not at Gerald, but at the causes +which were conspiring to detach him from his natural +sphere and duties. When he recollected how he had +himself dallied with the same thoughts, he grew angry +with his brother's nobleness and purity, which never could +see less than its highest ideal soul in anything, and with a +certain fierce fit of truth, glanced back at his own Easter +lilies and choristers, feeling involuntarily that he would +like to tear off the flowers and surplices and tread them +under his feet. Why was it that he, an inferior man, should +be able to confine himself to the mere accessories which +pleased his fancy, and could judge and reject the dangerous +principles beneath; while Gerald, the loftier, purer +intelligence, should get so hopelessly lost in mazes of +sophistry and false argument, to the peril of his work, his +life, and all that he could ever know of happiness? Such +were the thoughts that passed through the mind of the +Perpetual Curate as he went rapidly through the winding +country-road going "home." Perhaps he was wrong in +thinking that Gerald was thus superior to himself; but the +error was a generous one, and the Curate held it in +simplicity and with all his heart.</p> + +<p>Before he reached the house he saw his father walking +under the lime-trees, which formed a kind of lateral aisle +to the great avenue, which was one of the boasts of the +Wentworths. The Squire was like most squires of no +particular character; a hale, ruddy, clear-complexioned, +well-preserved man, looking his full age, but retaining all +the vigour of his youth. He was not a man of any intellect +to speak of, nor did he pretend to it; but he had that +glimmering of sense which keeps many a stupid man +straight, and a certain amount of natural sensibility and +consideration for other people's feelings which made +persons who knew no better give Mr Wentworth credit +for tact, a quality unknown to him. He was walking slowly +in a perplexed manner under the lime-trees. They were +all in glorious blossom, filling the air with that mingling +sense of fragrance and music which is the soul of the +murmurous tree: but the short figure of the Squire, in his +morning-coat, with his perplexed looks, was not at all an +accessory in keeping with the scene. He was taking his +walk in a subdued way, pondering something—and it +puzzled him sorely in his straightforward, unprofound +understanding. He shook his head sometimes as he went +along, sad and perplexed and unsatisfactory, among his +limes. He had got a note from Gerald that morning; and +how his son could intend to give up living and station, and +wife and children, for anything in heaven or earth, was +more than the Squire could understand. He started very +much when he heard Frank's voice calling to him. Frank, +indeed, was said to be, if any one was, the Squire's +weakness in the family; he was as clever as Gerald, and he +had the practical sense which Mr Wentworth prized as +knowing himself to possess it. If he could have wished for +any one in the present emergency, it would have been +Frank—and he turned round overjoyed.</p> + +<p>"Frank, my boy, you're heartily welcome home!" he +said, holding out his hand to him as became a British +parent—"always welcome, but particularly just now. +Where did you come from? how did you come? have you +eaten anything this morning? it's close upon lunch, and +we'll go in directly; but, my dear boy, wait here a moment, +if you're not particularly hungry; I can't tell you how glad +I am you're come. I'd rather see you than a hundred +pound!"</p> + +<p>When Frank had thanked him, and returned his greetings, +and answered his questions (which the Squire had +forgotten), and made his own inquiries, to which Mr Wentworth +replied only by a hasty nod, and an "Oh yes, thank +you, all well—all well," the two came to a momentary pause: +they had nothing particular to add about their happiness in +seeing each other; and as Frank wrote to his sisters pretty +regularly, there was nothing to tell. They were quite free to +plunge at once, as is to British relatives under the trying +circumstances of a meeting a blessed possibility, into the first +great subject which happened to be at hand.</p> + +<p>"Have you heard anything about Gerald?" said Mr +Wentworth, abruptly; "perhaps you called there on your +way from the station? Gerald has got into a nice mess. He +wrote to tell me about it, and I can't make head nor tail of +it. Do you think he's a little touched here?" and the Squire +tapped his own round forehead, with a troubled look: +"there's no other explanation possible that I can see: a +good living, a nice house, a wife that just suits him (and it's +not everybody that would suit Gerald), and a lot of fine +children—and he talks to me of giving up everything; as if +a man could give up everything! It's all very well talking +of self-renunciation, and so forth; and if it meant simply +considering other people, and doing anything disagreeable +for anybody's sake, I don't know a man more likely than +my son Gerald. Your brother's a fine fellow, Frank—a +noble sort of fellow, though he has his crotchets," said the +father, with a touch of involuntary pathos; "but you don't +mean to tell me that my son, a man like Gerald Wentworth, +has a mind to throw away his position, and give up +all the duties of his life? He can't do it, sir! I tell you it's +impossible, and I won't believe it." Mr Wentworth drew +up his shirt-collar, and kicked away a fallen branch with +his foot, and looked insulted and angry. It was a dereliction +of which he would not suppose the possibility of a +Wentworth being guilty. It did not strike him as a conflict +between belief and non-belief; but on the question of a +man abandoning his post, whatever it might be, the head +of the house held strong views.</p> + +<p>"I agree it's impossible; but it looks as if it were true," +said the Curate. "I don't understand it any more than you +do; but I am afraid we shall have to address ourselves to +the reality all the same. Gerald has made up his mind that +the Church of Rome is the only true Church, and therefore +he is in a false position in the Church of England: he +can't remain a priest of the Anglican communion with such +views, any more than a man could fight against his country, +or in a wrong quarrel—"</p> + +<p>"But, good heavens, sir!" said the Squire, interrupting +him, "is it a time to inquire into the quarrel when you're +on the ground? Will you tell me, sir, that my son Charley +should have gone into the question between Russia and +England when he was before Sebastopol—and deserted," +said Mr Wentworth, with a snort of infinite scorn, "if he +found the Czar had right on his side? God bless my soul! +that's striking at the root of everything. As for the Church +of Rome, it's Antichrist—why, every child in the village +school could tell you that; and if Gerald entertains any +such absurd ideas, the thing for him to do is to read up all +that's been written on the subject, and get rid of his doubts +as soon as possible. The short and the long of it is," said +the troubled Squire, who found it much the easiest way to +be angry, "that you ask me to believe that your brother +Gerald is a fool and a coward; and I won't believe it, +Frank, if you should preach to me for a year."</p> + +<p>"And for my part, I would stake my life on his wisdom +and his courage," said the Curate, with a little heat; "but +that is not the question—he believes that truth and honour +require him to leave his post. There is something more +involved which we might yet prevent. I have been trying, +but Louisa interrupted me—I don't know if you realise +fully what he intends. Gerald cannot cease to be a priest—he +will become a Catholic priest when he ceases to be +Rector of Wentworth—and that implies—"</p> + +<p>"God bless my soul!" cried the bewildered Squire—he +was silent for a long time after he had uttered that benediction. +He took out Gerald's letter and read it over while +the two walked on in silence under the lime-trees, and the +paper shook in his hands, notwithstanding all his steadiness. +When he spoke again, it was only after two or three efforts +to clear his voice. "I can't make out that he says <i>that</i>, +Frank—I don't see that <i>that's</i> what he means," said Mr +Wentworth, in a fainter tone than usual; and then he +continued, with more agitation, "Louisa is a dear good +soul, you know; but she's a bit of a fool, like most women. +She always takes the worst view—if she can get a good cry +out of anything, she will. It's she that's put this fancy into +your head, eh? You don't say you had it from Gerald +himself? You don't mean to tell me that? By Jove, sir!—by +heaven, sir!" cried the excited Squire, blazing up suddenly +in a burst of passion, "he can't be any son of mine— For +any damnable Papistical madness to give up his wife! +Why, God bless us, he was a man, wasn't he, before he +became a priest? A priest! He's not a priest—he's a +clergyman, and the Rector of Wentworth. I can't believe +it—I won't believe it!" said the head of the house, with +vehemence. "Tell me one of my sons is a sneak and a +traitor!—and if you weren't another of my sons, sir, I'd +knock you down for your pains." In the excitement of the +moment Mr Wentworth came full force against a projecting +branch which he did not see, as he spoke these words; but +though the sudden blow half stunned him, he did not stop +in his vehement contradiction. "It can't be. I tell you it +can't—it shan't be, Frank!" cried the Squire. He would +not pay any attention to the Curate's anxieties, or accept +the arm Frank offered, though he could not deny feeling +faint and giddy after the blow. It took away all the colour +from his ruddy face, and left him pale, with a red welt +across his forehead, and wonderfully unlike himself. +"Confound it! I told Miles to look after that tree weeks +ago. If he thinks I'll stand his carelessness, he's mistaken," +said Mr Wentworth, by way of relieving himself. He was a +man who always eased his mind by being angry with +somebody when anything happened to put him out.</p> + +<p>"My dear father," said the Curate as soon as it was +practicable, "I want you to listen to me and help me; +there's only one thing to be done that I can see. Gerald is +in a state of high excitement, fit for any martyrdom. We +can't keep him back from one sacrifice, but by all the force +we can gather we must detain him from the other. He must +be shown that he can't abandon his natural duties. He was a +man before he was a priest, as you say; he can no more give +up his duty to Louisa than he can give up his own life. It is +going on a false idea altogether; but falsehood in anything +except in argument could never be named or dreamed of +in connection with Gerald," said his brother, with some +emotion; "we all know that."</p> + +<p>There was another pause of a few minutes, during +which they walked on side by side without even the heart +to look at each other. "If it had been Huxtable or +Plumstead, or any other fool," burst forth the Squire, +after that interval, "but Gerald!" Huxtable was the +husband of the eldest Miss Wentworth, and Plumstead +was the Squire's sister's son, so the comparison was all in +the family. "I suppose your aunt Leonora would say such +a thing was sent to bring down my pride and keep me +low," said Mr Wentworth, bitterly. "Jack being what he +is, was it anything but natural that I should be proud of +Gerald? There never was any evil in him, that I could see, +from a child; but crotchety, always crotchety, Frank. I can +see it now. It must have been their mother," said the +Squire, meditatively; "she died very young, poor girl! her +character was not formed. As for <i>your</i> dear mother, my +boy, she was always equal to an emergency; she would +have given us the best of advice, had she been spared to +us this day. Mrs Wentworth is absorbed in her nursery, as +is natural, and I should not care to consult her much on +such a subject. But, Frank, whatever you can do or say, +trust to me to back you out," said the anxious father of +three families. "Your mother was the most sensible woman I +ever knew," he continued, with a patriarchal composure. +"Nobody could ever manage Jack and Gerald as she did. +She'd have seen at a glance what to do now. As for Jack, +he is not assistance to anybody; but I consider you very +like your mother, Frank. If anybody can help Gerald, it +will be you. He has got into some ridiculous complications, +you know—that must be the explanation of it. You have +only to talk to him, and clear up the whole affair," said the +Squire, recovering himself a little. He believed in "talking +to," like Louisa, and like most people who are utterly +incapable of talking to any purpose. He took some courage +from the thought, and recovered his colour a little. "There +is the bell for luncheon, and I am very glad of it," he said; +"a glass of sherry will set me all right. Don't say anything +to alarm Mrs Wentworth. When Gerald comes we'll retire +to the library, and go into the matter calmly, and between +us we will surely be able to convince him. I'll humour him, +for my part, as far as my conscience will allow me. We +must not give in to him, Frank. He will give it up if we +show a very firm front and yield nothing," said the Squire, +looking with an unusually anxious eye in his son's face.</p> + +<p>"For my part, I will not enter into the controversy +between the Churches," said the Curate; "it is mere waste +of time. I must confine myself to the one point. If he must +forsake us, he must, and I can't stop him: but he must not +forsake his wife."</p> + +<p>"Tut—it's impossible!" said the Squire; "it's not to be +thought of for a moment. You must have given undue +importance to something that was said. Things will turn +out better than you think." They were very nearly at the +great entrance when these words were said, and Mr +Wentworth took out his handkerchief and held it to his +forehead to veil the mark, until he could explain it, from +the anxious eye of his wife. "If the worst should come to +the worst, as you seem to think," he said, with a kind of +sigh, "I should at least be able to provide for you, Frank. +Of course, the Rectory would go to you; and you don't +seem to have much chance of Skelmersdale, so far as I can +learn. Leonora's a very difficult person to deal with. God +bless my soul!" exclaimed the Squire—"depend upon it, +she has had something to do with this business of Gerald's. +She's goaded him into it, with her Low-Church ways. +She's put poor Louisa up to worrying him; there's where it +is. I did not see how your brother could possibly have +fallen into such a blunder of his own accord. But come to +luncheon; you must be hungry. You will think the boys +grown, Frank; and I must ask you what you think, when +you have a little leisure, of Cuthbert and Guy."</p> + +<p>So saying, the Squire led the way into the house; he had +been much appalled by the first hint of this threatened +calamity, and was seriously distressed and anxious still; +but he was the father of many sons, and the misfortunes or +blunders of one could not occupy all his heart. And even +the Curate, as he followed his father into the house, felt +that Louisa's words, so calmly repeated, "Of course, the +Rectory will go to you," went tingling to his heart like an +arrow, painfully recalling him, in the midst of his anxiety, +to a sense of his own interests and cares. Gerald was +coming up the avenue at the moment slowly, with all the +feelings of a man going to the stake. He was looking at +everything round as a dying man might, not knowing what +terrible revolution of life might have happened before he +saw them again—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <p class="noindent"> +"He looked on hill, and sea, and shore,<br /> + As he might never see them more." + </p> +</div> + +<p>Life was darkened over to his preoccupied eyes, and the +composure of nature jarred upon him, as though it were +carelessness and indifference to the fate which he felt to be +coming in the air. He thought nothing less than that his +father and brother were discussing him with hearts as +heavy and clouded as his own; for even he, in all his +tolerance and impartiality, did not make due account of the +fact, that every man has his own concerns next to him, +close enough to ameliorate and lighten the weight of his +anxieties for others. The prospect was all gloom to Gerald, +who was the sufferer; but the others found gleams of +comfort in their own horizon, which threw reflected lights +upon his; for perfect sympathy is not, except in dreams. +There was quite a joyful little commotion at the luncheon +table when Frank's arrival was discovered; and his sisters +were kissing him, and his young brothers shaking his hand +off, while Gerald came slowly up, with preoccupied, +lingering steps, underneath the murmurous limes. All +kinds of strange miseries were appearing to him as he +pursued his way. Glimpses of scenes to come—a dark +phantasmagoria of anticipated pain. He saw his wife and +his children going away out of their happy house; he saw +himself severed from all human ties, among alien faces +and customs, working out a hard novitiate. What could he +do? His heart, so long on the rack, was aching with dull +throbs of anguish, but he did not see any way of escape. +He was a priest by all the training, all the habits of his life; +how could he give up that service to which he was called +before everything, the most momentous work on earth? +For ease, for happiness, for even sacred love, could he +defraud God of the service he had vowed, and go back to +secular work just at the moment when the true meaning of +ecclesiastical work seemed dawning upon him? He had +decided that question before, but it came back and back. +His eyes were heavy with thought and conflict as he went +up to his father's house. All this was wearing out his +strength, and sapping his very life. The sooner it was over +the better would it be for all.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h3> +<p> </p> + + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Very</span> little came, as was natural, of the talk in the +library, to which the entire afternoon was devoted. The +Squire, in his way, was as great an interruption to the +arguments of the Curate as was poor Louisa in hers; and +Gerald sat patiently to listen to his father's indignant +monologue, broken as it was by Frank's more serious +attacks. He was prepared for all they could say to him, +and listened to it, sometimes with a kind of wondering +smile, knowing well how much more strongly, backed by +all his prejudices and interests, he had put the same +arguments to himself. All this time nobody discussed the +practicability of the matter much, nor what steps he meant +to take: what immediately occupied both his father and +brother was his determination itself, and the reasons which +had led him to it, which the Squire, like Louisa, could not +understand.</p> + +<p>"If I had made myself disagreeable," said Mr +Wentworth; "if I had remonstrated with him, as Leonora +urged me to do; if I had put a stop to the surplice and so +forth, and interfered with his decorations or his saints' +days, or anything, it might have been comprehensible. +But I never said a syllable on the subject. I give you my +word, I never did. Why couldn't he have sent down for +Louisa now, and dined at the Hall, as usual, when any of +my sons come home? I suppose a man may change his +religion, sir, without getting rid of his natural affections," +said the Squire, gazing out with puzzled looks to watch +Gerald going slowly down the avenue. "A man who talks +of leaving his wife, and declines to dine at his father's +house with his brothers and sisters, is a mystery I can't +understand."</p> + +<p>"I don't suppose he cares for a lively party like ours at +this moment," said the Curate: "I don't take it as any sign +of a want of affection for me."</p> + +<p>The Squire puffed forth a large sigh of trouble and +vexation as he came from the window. "If <i>I</i> were to give in +to trouble when it appears, what would become of our +lively party, I wonder?" he said. "I'm getting an old man, +Frank; but there's not a young man in Christendom has +more need to take care of himself, and preserve his +health, than I have. I am very well, thank God, though I +have had a touch of our Wentworth complaint—just one +touch. My father had it ten years earlier in life, and lived +to eighty, all the same; but that is an age I shall never see. +Such worries as I have would kill any man. I've not +spoken to anybody about it," said the Squire, hastily, "but +Jack is going a terrible pace just now. I've had a good deal +of bother about bills and things. He gets worse every year; +and what would become of the girls and the little children +if the estate were to come into Jack's hands, is a thought I +don't like to dwell upon, Frank. I suppose he never writes +to you?"</p> + +<p>"Not for years past," said the Curate—"not since I was +at Oxford. Where is he now?"</p> + +<p>"Somewhere about town, I suppose," said the aggrieved +father, "or wherever the greatest scamps collect when +they go out of town—that's where he is. I could show you a +little document or two, Frank—but now," said the Squire, +shutting up a drawer which he had unlocked and partly +opened, "I won't; you've enough on your mind with +Gerald, and I told you I should be glad of your advice +about Cuthbert and Guy."</p> + +<p>Upon which the father and son plunged into family +affairs. Cuthbert and Guy were the youngest of the +Squire's middle family—a "lot" which included Frank and +Charley and the three sisters, one of whom was married. +The domestic relations of the Wentworths were complicated +in this generation. Jack and Gerald were of the first +marriage, a period in his history which Mr Wentworth +himself had partly forgotten; and the troop of children at +present in the Hall nursery were quite beyond the powers +of any grown-up brother to recognise or identify. It was +vaguely understood that "the girls" knew all the small fry +by head and name, but even the Squire himself was apt to +get puzzled. With such a household, and with an heir +impending over his head like Jack, it may be supposed +that Mr Wentworth's anxiety to get his younger boys +disposed of was great. Cuthbert and Guy were arrows in +the hand of the giant, but he had his quiver so full that the +best thing he could do was to draw his bow and shoot them +away into as distant and as fresh a sphere as possible. +They were sworn companions and allies, but they were +not clever, Mr Wentworth believed, and he was very glad +to consult over New Zealand and Australia, and which was +best, with their brother Frank.</p> + +<p>"They are good boys," said their father, "but they have +not any brains to speak of—not like Gerald and you;—though, +after all, I begin to be doubtful what's the good of +brains," added the Squire, disconsolately, "if this is all +that comes of them. After building so much on Gerald for +years, and feeling that one might live to see him a bishop—but, +however, there's still <i>you</i> left; you're all right, Frank?"</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, I am all right," said the Curate, with a sigh; +"but neither Gerald nor I are the stuff that bishops are +made of," he added, laughing. "I hope you don't dream of +any such honour for me."</p> + +<p>But the Squire was too troubled in his mind for +laughter. "Jack was always clever, too," he said, dolefully, +"and little good has come of that. I hope he won't +disgrace the family any more than he has done, in my +time, Frank. You young fellows have all your life before +you; but when a man comes to my age, and expects a little +comfort, it's hard to be dragged into the mire after his +children. I did my duty by Jack too—I can say that for +myself. He had the same training as Gerald had—the +same tutor at the university—everything just the same. +How do you account for that, sir, you that are a philosopher?" +said Mr Wentworth again, with a touch of irritation. +"Own brothers both by father and mother; brought +up in the same house, same school and college and everything; +and all the time as different from each other as light +and darkness. How do you account for that? Though, to be +sure, here's Gerald taken to bad ways too. It must have +been some weakness by their mother's side. Poor girl! she +died too young to show it herself; but it's come out in her +children," said the vexed Squire. "Though it's a poor sort +of thing to blame them that are gone," he added, with +penitence; and he got up and paced uneasily about the +room. Who was there else to blame? Not himself, for he +had done his duty by his boys. Mr Wentworth never was +disturbed in mind, without, as his family were well aware, +becoming excited in temper too; and the unexpected +nature of the new trouble had somehow added a keener +touch of exasperation to his perennial dissatisfaction with +his heir. "If Jack had been the man he ought to have +been, his advice might have done some good—for a +clergyman naturally sees things in a different light from a +man of the world," said the troubled father; and Frank +perceived that he too shared in his father's displeasure, +because he was not Jack, nor a man of the world; notwithstanding +that, being Frank and a clergyman, he was +acknowledged by public opinion to be the Squire's +favourite in the family. Things continued in this uncomfortable +state up to the dinner-hour, so that the Curate, +even had his own feelings permitted it, had but little +comfort in his home visit. At dinner Mr Wentworth did not +eat, and awoke the anxiety of his wife, who drove the old +gentleman into a state of desperation by inquiries after his +health.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, I wish you would remonstrate with your papa, +Frank," said his stepmother, who was not a great deal +older than the Curate. "After his attack he ought to be +more careful. But he never takes the least trouble about +himself, no more than if he were five-and-twenty. After +getting such a knock on the forehead too; and you see he +eats nothing. I shall be miserable if the doctor is not sent +for to-night."</p> + +<p>"Stuff!" cried the Squire, testily. "Perhaps you will +speak to the cook about these messes she insists on +sending up to disgust one, and leave me to take care of my +own health. Don't touch that dish, Frank; it's poison. I am +glad Gerald is not here: he'd think we never had a dinner +without that confounded mixture. And then the wonder is +that one can't eat!" said Mr Wentworth, in a tone which +spread consternation round the table. Mrs Wentworth +secretly put her handkerchief to her eyes behind the great +cover, which had not yet been removed; and one of the +girls dashed in violently to the rescue, of course making +everything worse.</p> + +<p>"Why did not Gerald and Louisa come to dinner?" cried +the ignorant sister. "Surely, when they knew Frank had +come, they would have liked to be here. How very odd it +was of you not to ask them, papa! they always do come +when anybody has arrived. Why aren't they here +to-night?"</p> + +<p>"Because they don't choose to come," said the Squire, +abruptly. "If Gerald has reasons for staying away from his +father's house, what is that to you? Butterflies," said Mr +Wentworth, looking at them in their pretty dresses, as +they sat regarding him with dismay, "that don't +understand any reason for doing anything except liking it or +not liking it. I daresay by this time your sister knows +better."</p> + +<p>"My sister is married, papa," said Letty, with her saucy +look.</p> + +<p>"I advise you to get married too, and learn what life is +like," said the savage Squire; and conversation visibly +flagged after this effort. When the ladies got safely into +the drawing-room, they gathered into a corner to consult +over it. They were all naturally anxious about him after +his "attack."</p> + +<p>"Don't you remember he was just like this before it +came on?" said Mrs Wentworth, nervously; "so cross, and +finding fault with the made dishes. Don't you think I +might send over a message to Dr Small—not to come on +purpose, you know, but just as if it were a call in passing?"</p> + +<p>But the girls both agreed this would make matters +worse.</p> + +<p>"It must be something about Jack," they both said in a +breath, in a kind of awe of their elder brother, of whom +they had a very imperfect knowledge. "And it seems we +never are to have a chance of a word with Frank!" cried +Letty, who was indignant and exasperated. But at least it +was a consolation that "the boys" were no better off. All +next day Cuthbert and Guy hung about in the vain hope of +securing the company and attention of the visitor. He was +at the Rectory the whole morning, sometimes with +Gerald, sometimes with Louisa, as the scouts of the family, +consisting of a variety of brothers, little and big, informed +the anxious girls. And Louisa was seen to cry on one of +these occasions; and Gerald looked cross, said one little +spy, whereupon he had his ears boxed, and was dismissed +from the service. "As if Gerald ever looked anything but a +saint!" said the younger sister, who was an advanced +Anglican. Letty, however, holding other views, confuted +this opinion strongly: "When one thinks of a saint, it is +aunt Leonora one thinks of," said this profane young +woman. "I'll tell you what Gerald looks like—something +just half-way between a conqueror and a martyr. I think, +of all the men I ever saw, he is my hero," said Letty, +meditatively. The youngest Miss Wentworth was not +exactly of this latter opinion, but she did not contradict her +sister. They were kept in a state of watchfulness all day, +but Frank's mission remained a mystery which they could +not penetrate; and in the evening Gerald alone made his +appearance at the hall to dinner, explaining that Louisa +had a headache. Now Louisa's headaches were not +unfrequent, but they were known to improve in the prospect +of going out to dinner. On the whole, the matter was +wrapt in obscurity, and the Wentworth household could +not explain it. The sisters sat up brushing their hair, and +looking very pretty in their dressing-gowns, with their +bright locks (for the Wentworth hair was golden-brown of +a Titian hue) over their shoulders, discussing the matter +till it was long past midnight; but they could make nothing +of it, and the only conclusion they came to was, that their +two clergymen brothers were occupied in negotiating with +the Squire about some secret not known to the rest of the +family, but most probably concerning Jack. Jack was +almost unknown to his sisters, and awoke no very warm +anxiety in their minds; so they went to sleep at last in +tolerable quiet, concluding that whatever mystery there +was concerned only the first-born and least loved of the +house.</p> + +<p>While the girls pursued these innocent deliberations, +and reasoned themselves into conviction, the Squire too +sat late—much later than usual. He had gone with Frank +to the library, and sat there in half-stupefied quietness, +which the Curate could not see without alarm, and from +which he roused himself up now and then to wander off +into talk, which always began with Gerald, and always +came back to his own anxieties and his disappointed hopes +in his eldest son. "If Jack had been the man he ought to +have been, I'd have telegraphed for him, and he'd have +managed it all," said the Squire, and then relapsed once +more into silence. "For neither you nor I are men of the +world, Frank," he would resume again, after a pause of +half an hour, revealing pitifully how his mind laboured +under the weight of this absorbing thought. The Curate +sat up with him in the dimly-lighted library, feeling the +silence and the darkness to his heart. He could not assist +his father in those dim ranges of painful meditation. +Grieved as he was, he could not venture to compare his +own distress with the bitterness of the Squire, disappointed +in all his hopes and in the pride of his heart; and +then the young man saw compensations and heroisms in +Gerald's case which were invisible to the unheroic eyes of +Mr Wentworth, who looked at it entirely from a practical +point of view, and regarded with keen mortification an +event which would lay all the affairs of the Wentworths +open to general discussion, and invite the eye of the world +to a renewed examination of his domestic skeletons. +Everything had been hushed and shut up in the Hall for at +least an hour, when the Squire got up at last and lighted his +candle, and held out his hand to his son—"This isn't a +very cheerful visit for you, Frank," he said; "but we'll try +again to-morrow, and have one other talk with Gerald. +Couldn't you read up some books on the subject, or think +of something new to say to him? God bless my soul! if I +were as young and as much accustomed to talking as you +are, I'd surely find out some argument," said the Squire, +with a momentary spark of temper, which made his son +feel more comfortable about him. "It's your business to +convince a man when he's wrong. We'll try Gerald once +more, and perhaps something may come of it; and as for +Jack—" Here the Squire paused, and shook his head, and +let go his son's hand. "I suppose it's sitting up so late that +makes one feel so cold and wretched, and as if one saw +ghosts," said Mr Wentworth. "Don't stay here any longer, +and take care of the candles. I ought to have been in bed +two hours ago. Good-night."</p> + +<p>And as he walked away, the Curate could not but +observe what an aged figure it looked, moving with a +certain caution to the door. The great library was so dim +that the light of the candle which the Squire carried in his +hand was necessary to reveal his figure clearly, and there +was no mistaking his air of age and feebleness. The +Curate's thoughts were not very agreeable when he was +left by himself in the half-lighted room. His imagination +jumped to a picture very possible, but grievous to think of—Jack +seated in his father's place, and "the girls" and the +little children turned out upon the world. In such a case, +who would be their protector and natural guardian? Not +Gerald, who was about to divest himself of ties still closer +and more sacred. The Curate lit his candle too, and went +hastily to his room when that thought came upon him. +There might be circumstances still more hopeless and +appalling than the opposition of a rector or the want of a +benefice. He preferred to return to his anxiety about +Gerald, and to put away that thought, as he went hurriedly +up-stairs.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">The</span> sum of it all is, that you won't hear any reason, +Gerald," said the Squire. "What your brother says, and +what I say, are nothing; your poor wife is nothing; and all +a man's duties, sir, in life—all your responsibilities, +everything that is considered most sacred—"</p> + +<p>"You may say what you will to me, father," said Gerald. +"I can't expect you should speak differently. But you may +imagine I have looked at it in every possible light before I +came to this resolution. A man does not decide easily +when everything he prizes on earth is at stake. I cannot +see with Frank's eyes, or with yours; according to the light +God has given me, I must see with my own."</p> + +<p>"But, God bless my soul! what do you mean by seeing +with your own eyes?" said the Squire. "Don't you know +that is a Protestant doctrine, sir? Do you think they'll let +you see with any eyes but theirs when you get among a set +of Papists? Instead of an easy-going bishop, and friendly +fellows for brother clergymen, and parishioners that think +everything that's good of you, how do you suppose you'll +feel as an Englishman when you get into a dead Frenchified +system, with everything going by rule and measure, +and bound to believe just as you're told? It'll kill you, sir—that's +what will be the end of it. If you are in your grave +within the year, it will be no wonder to me."</p> + +<p>"Amen!" said Gerald, softly. "If that is to be all, we will +not quarrel with the result;" and he got up and went to the +window, as if to look for his cedar, which was not there. +Perhaps the absence of his silent referee gave him a kind of +comfort, though at the same time it disappointed him in +some fantastical way, for he turned with a curious look of +relief and vexation to his brother. "We need not be always +thinking of it, even if this were to be the end," he said. +"Come down the avenue with me, Frank, and let us talk +of something else. The girls will grumble, but they can +have you later: come, I want to hear about yourself."</p> + +<p>Unfortunately the Squire got up when his sons did, +which was by no means their intention; but Mr Wentworth +was vexed and restless, and was not willing to let Gerald +off so easily. If he were mad, at least he ought to be made +duly wretched in his madness, Mr Wentworth thought; +and he went out with them, and arrested the words on +their lips. Somehow everything seemed to concur in hindering +any appeal on the part of the Curate. And Gerald, +like most imaginative men, had a power of dismissing his +troubles after they had taken their will of him. It was he +who took the conversation on himself when they went out +of doors. Finding Frank slow in his report, Gerald went +into all the country news for the instruction of his brother. +He had been down to the very depths during the two +previous days, and now he had come aloft again; for a man +cannot be miserable every moment of his life, however +heavy his burden may be. The "girls," whose anxieties +had been much stimulated by the renewed conference +held with closed doors in the library, stood watching them +from one of the drawing-room windows. The boldest of the +two had, indeed, got her hat to follow them, not comprehending +why Frank should be monopolised for days +together by anybody but herself, his favourite sister; but +something in the aspect of the three men, when they first +appeared under the lime-trees, had awed even the lively +Letty out of her usual courage. "But Gerald is talking and +laughing just as usual," she said, as she stood at the +window dangling her hat in her hand—"more than usual, +for he has been very glum all this spring. Poor fellow! I +daresay Louisa worries him out of his life;" and with this +easy conclusion the elder brother was dismissed by the +girls. "Perhaps Frank is going to be married," said the +other sister, who, under the lively spur of this idea, came +back to the window to gaze at him again, and find out +whether any intimation of this alarming possibility could +be gathered from the fit of his long clerical coat, or his +manner of walk, as he sauntered along under the limes. +"As if a Perpetual Curate could marry!" said Letty, with +scorn, who knew the world. As for little Janet, who was a +tender-hearted little soul, she folded her two hands +together, and looked at her brother's back with a great +increase of interest. "If one loved him, one would not +mind what he was," said the little maiden, who had been +in some trouble herself, and understood about such matters. +So the girls talked at their window, Mrs Wentworth being, +as usual, occupied with her nursery, and nobody else at +hand to teach them wisdom, and soon branched off into +speculations about the post-bag, which was "due," and +which, perhaps, was almost more interesting, to one of +them at least, than even a brother who was going to be +married.</p> + +<p>In the mean time Gerald was talking of Huxtable and +Plumstead, the brother-in-law and cousin, who were both +clergymen in the same district, and about the people in +the village whom they had known when they were boys, +and who never grew any older. "There is old Kilweed, for +example, who was Methuselah in those days—he's not +eighty yet," he said, with a smile and a sigh; "it is we who +grow older and come nearer to the winter and the sunset. +My father even has come down a long way off the awful +eminence on which I used to behold him: every year that +falls on my head seems to take one off his: if we both live +long enough, we shall feel like contemporaries by-and-by," +said Gerald: "just now the advantage of years is all on +my side; and you are my junior, sir." He was switching +down the weeds among the grass with his cane as he +spoke, like any schoolboy; the air, and perhaps a little +excitement, had roused the blood to his cheek. He did +not look the same man as the pale martyr in the library—not +that he had any reason for appearing different, but +only that inalienable poetic waywardness which kept him +up through his trouble. As for Mr Wentworth, he resented +the momentary brightening, which he took for levity.</p> + +<p>"I thought we came out here to prolong our discussion," +said the Squire. "I don't understand this light way of +talking. If you mean what you have said, sir, I should +never expect to see you smile more."</p> + +<p>"The smiling makes little difference," said Gerald; but +he stopped short in his talk, and there was a pause among +them till the postboy came up to them with his bag, which +Mr Wentworth, with much importance, paused to open. +The young men, who had no special interest in its contents, +went on. Perhaps the absence of their father was a relief to +them. They were nearer to each other, understood each +other better than he could do; and they quickened their +pace insensibly as they began to talk. It is easy to imagine +what kind of talk it was—entire sympathy, yet disagreement +wide as the poles—here for a few steps side by side, +there darting off at the most opposite tangent; but they +had begun to warm to it, and to forget everything else, +when a succession of lusty hollos from the Squire brought +them suddenly to themselves, and to a dead stop. When +they looked round, he was making up to them with choleric +strides. "What the deuce do you mean, sir, by having +telegrams sent here?" cried Mr Wentworth, pitching at his +son Frank an ominous ugly envelope, in blue and red, +such as the unsophisticated mind naturally trembles at. +"Beg your pardon, Gerald; but I never can keep my +temper when I see a telegraph. I daresay it's something +about Charley," said the old man, in a slightly husky voice—"to +make up to us for inventing troubles." The Squire +was a good deal disturbed by the sight of that ill-omened +message; and it was the better way, as he knew by +experience, to throw his excitement into the shape of +anger rather than that of grief.</p> + +<p>"It's nothing about Charley," said Frank; and Mr +Wentworth blew his nose violently and drew a long breath. +"I don't understand it," said the Curate, who looked +scared and pale; "it seems to be from Jack; though why <i>he</i> +is in Carlingford, or what he has to do—"</p> + +<p>"He's ill, sir, I suppose—dying; nothing else was to be +looked for," said the Squire, and held out his hand, which +trembled, for the telegram. "Stuff! why shouldn't I be +able to bear it? Has he been any comfort to me? Can't you +read it, one of you?" cried the old man.</p> + +<p>"'John Wentworth to the Reverend—'"</p> + +<p>"God bless my soul! can't you come to what he says?"</p> + +<p>"'Come back directly—you are wanted here; I am in +trouble, as usual; and T.W.—'"</p> + +<p>Here the Squire took a step backwards, and set himself +against a tree. "The sun comes in one's eyes," he said, +rather feebly. "There's something poisonous in the air +today. Here's Gerald going out of the Church; and here's +Frank in Jack's secrets. God forgive him! Lads, it seems +you think I've had enough of this world's good. My heir's +a swindling villain, and you know it; and here's Frank +going the same road too."</p> + +<p>The Squire did not hear the words that both the brothers +addressed to him; he was unconscious of the Curate's +disclaimer and eager explanation that he knew nothing +about Jack, and could not understand his presence in +Carlingford. The blow he had got the previous day had +confused his brain outside, and these accumulated vexations +had bewildered it within. "And I could have sworn by +Frank!" said the old man, piteously, to himself, as he put +up his hand unawares and tugged at the dainty starched +cravat which was his pride. If they had not held him in +their arms, he would have slid down at the foot of the tree, +against which he had instinctively propped himself. The +attack was less alarming to Gerald, who had seen it +before, than to Frank, who had only heard of it; but the +postboy was still within call, by good fortune, and was sent +off for assistance. They carried him to the Hall, gasping +for breath, and in a state of partial unconsciousness, but +still feebly repeating those words which went to the +Curate's heart—"I could have sworn by Frank!" The +house was in a great fright and tumult, naturally, before +they reached it, Mrs Wentworth fainting, the girls looking +on in dismay, and the whole household moved to awe and +alarm, knowing that one time or other Death would come +so. As for the Curate of St Roque's, he had already made +up his mind, with unexpected anguish, not only that his +father was dying, but that his father would die under a +fatal misconception about himself; and between this overwhelming +thought, and the anxiety which nobody understood +or could sympathise with respecting Jack's message, +the young man was almost beside himself. He went away in +utter despair from the anxious consultations of the family +after the doctor had come, and kept walking up and down +before the house, waiting to hear the worst, as he thought; +but yet unable, even while his father lay dying, to keep +from thinking what miserable chance, what folly or crime, +had taken Jack to Carlingford, and what his brother could +have to do with the owner of the initials named in his +telegram. He was lost in this twofold trouble when Gerald +came out to him with brightened looks.</p> + +<p>"He is coming round, and the doctor says there is no +immediate danger," said Gerald; "and it is only immediate +danger one is afraid of. He was as well as ever last time in +a day or two. It is the complaint of the Wentworths, you +know—we all die of it; but, Frank, tell me what is this +about Jack?"</p> + +<p>"I know no more than you do," said the Curate, when +he had recovered himself a little. "I must go back, not +having done much good here, to see."</p> + +<p>"And T.W.?" said Gerald. The elder brother looked at +the younger suspiciously, as if he were afraid for him; and +it was scarcely in human nature not to feel a momentary +flash of resentment.</p> + +<p>"I tell you I know nothing about it," said Frank, "except +what is evident to any one, that Jack has gone to Carlingford +in my absence, being in trouble somehow. I suppose +he always is in trouble. I have not heard from him since I +went there; but as it don't seem I can be of any use here, +as soon as my father is safe, I will go back. Louisa +imagined, you know—; but she was wrong."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Gerald, quietly. That subject was concluded, +and there was no more to say.</p> + +<p>The same evening, as the Squire continued to improve, +and had been able to understand his energetic explanation +that he was entirely ignorant of Jack's secrets, Frank +Wentworth went back again with a very disturbed mind. +He went into the Rectory as he passed down to the station, +to say good-bye to Louisa, who was sitting in the drawing-room +with her children round her, and her trouble considerably +lightened, though there was no particular cause +for it. Dressing for dinner had of itself a beneficial effect +upon Louisa: she could not understand how a life could +ever be changed which was so clearly ordained of Heaven; +for if Gerald was not with her, what inducement could she +possibly have to dress for dinner? and then what would be +the good of all the pretty wardrobe with which Providence +had endowed her? Must not Providence take care that its +gifts were not thus wasted? So the world was once more set +fast on its foundations, and the pillars of earth remained +unshaken, when Frank glanced in on his way to the station +to say good-bye.</p> + +<p>"Don't be afraid, Louisa; I don't believe he would be +allowed to do it," said the Curate in her ear. "The Church +of Rome does not go in the face of nature. She will not +take him away from you. Keep your heart at ease as much +as you can. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>"You mean about Gerald. Oh, you don't <i>really</i> think he +could ever have had the heart?" said Mrs Wentworth. "I +am so sorry you are going away without any dinner or +anything comfortable; and it was so good of you to come, +and I feel so much better. I shall always be grateful to +you, dear Frank, for showing Gerald his mistake; and tell +dear aunt Dora I am so much obliged to her for thinking of +the blanket for the bassinet. I am sure it will be lovely. +Must you go? Good-bye. I am sure you have always been +like my own brother—Frank, dear, good-bye. Come and +kiss your dear uncle, children, and say good-bye."</p> + +<p>This was how Louisa dismissed him after all his efforts +on her behalf. The girls were waiting for him on the road, +still full of anxiety to know why he had come so suddenly, +and was going away so soon. "We have not had half a peep +of you," said Letty; "and it is wicked of you not to tell us; +as if anybody could sympathise like your sisters—your +very own sisters, Frank," said the young lady, with a +pressure on his arm. In such a mixed family the words +meant something.</p> + +<p>"We had made up our minds you had come to tell +papa," said Janet, with her pretty shy look; "that was my +guess—you might tell us her name, Frank."</p> + +<p>"Whose name?" said the unfortunate Curate; and the +dazzling vision of Lucy Wodehouse's face, which came +upon him at the moment, was such, that the reluctant +blood rose high in his cheeks—which, of course, the girls +were quick enough to perceive.</p> + +<p>"It <i>is</i> about some girl, after all," said Letty; "oh me! I did +not think you had been like all the rest. I thought you had +other things to think of. Janet may say what she likes—but I +do think it's contemptible always to find out, when a man, +who can do lots of things, is in trouble, that it's about some +girl or other like one's self! I did not expect it of you, Frank—but +all the same, tell us who she is?" said the favourite +sister, clasping his arm confidentially, and dropping her voice.</p> + +<p>"There is the train. Good-bye, girls, and be sure you +write to me to-morrow how my father is," said the Curate. +He had taken his seat before they could ask further +questions, and in a minute or two more was dashing out of +the little station, catching their smiles and adieus as he +went, and turning back last of all for another look at +Gerald, who stood leaning on his stick, looking after the +train, with the mist of preoccupation gathering again over +his smiling eyes. The Curate went back to his corner after +that, and lost himself in thoughts and anxieties still more +painful. What had Jack to do in Carlingford? what connection +had he with those initials, or how did he know their +owner? All sorts of horrible fears came over the Curate of +St Roque's. He had not seen his elder brother for years, +and Jack's career was not one for the family to be proud +of. Had he done something too terrible to be hidden—too +clamorous to let his name drop out of remembrance, as +was to be desired for the credit of the Wentworths? This +speculation <ins title="original reads wiled">whiled</ins> the night away but drearily, as the +Perpetual Curate went back to the unknown tide of cares +which had surged in his absence into his momentarily +abandoned place.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Mr Wentworth</span> got back to Carlingford by a happy +concurrence of trains before the town had gone to sleep. It +was summer, when the days are at the longest, and the +twilight was just falling into night as he took his way +through George Street. He went along the familiar street +with a certain terror of looking into people's faces whom +he met, and of asking questions, such as was natural to a +man who did not know whether something of public note +might not have happened in his absence to call attention to +his name. He imagined, indeed, that he did see a strange +expression in the looks of the townsfolk he encountered on +his way. He thought they looked at him askance as they +made their salutations, and said something to each other +after they passed, which, indeed, in several cases was true +enough, though the cause was totally different from anything +suspected by Mr Wentworth. Anxious to know, and +yet unwilling to ask, it was with a certain relief that the +Curate saw the light gleaming out from the open door of +Elsworthy's shop as he approached. He went in and tossed +down his travelling-bag on the counter, and threw himself +on the solitary chair which stood outside for the accommodation +of customers, with a suppressed excitement, +which made his question sound abrupt and significant to +the ears of Elsworthy. "Has anything happened since I +went away?" said Mr Wentworth, throwing a glance round +the shop which alarmed his faithful retainer. Somehow, +though nothing was farther from his mind than little Rosa, +or any thought of her, the Curate missed the pretty little +figure at the first glance.</p> + +<p>"Well—no, sir; not much as I've heard of," said +Elsworthy, with a little confusion. He was tying up his +newspapers as usual, but it did not require the touch of +suspicion and anxiety which gave sharpness to the Curate's +eyes to make it apparent that the cord was trembling in Mr +Elsworthy's hand. "I hope you've had a pleasant journey, +sir, and a comfortable visit—it's been but short—but we +always miss you in Carlingford, Mr Wentworth, if it was +only for a day."</p> + +<p>"I'll take my paper," said the young man, who was not +satisfied—"so there's no news, isn't there?—all well, and +everything going on as usual?" And the look which the +suspicious Curate bent upon Mr Elsworthy made that +virtuous individual, as he himself described it, "shake in +his shoes."</p> + +<p>"Much as usual, sir," said the frightened clerk,—"nothing +new as I hear of but gossip, and that aint a thing +to interest a clergyman. There's always one report or +another flying about, but them follies aint for your hearing. +Nothing more," continued Mr Elsworthy, conscious of +guilt, and presenting a very tremulous countenance to the +inspection of his suspicious auditor, "not if it was my last +word—nothing but gossip, as you wouldn't care to hear."</p> + +<p>"I might possibly care to hear if it concerned myself," +said the Curate,—"or anybody I am interested in," he +added, after a little pause, with rather a forced smile—which +convinced Mr Elsworthy that his clergyman had +heard all about Rosa, and that the days of his incumbency +as clerk of St Roque's were numbered.</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, if you did hear, it aint no blame of mine," +said the injured bookseller; "such a notion would never +have come into my mind—no man, I make bold to say, is +more particular about keeping to his own rank of life nor +me. What you did, sir, you did out of the kindness of your +heart, and I'd sooner sell up and go off to the end of the +world than impose upon a gentleman. Her aunt's took her +away," continued Mr Elsworthy, lowering his voice, and +cautiously pointing to the back of the shop—"She'll not +bother you no more."</p> + +<p>"She!—who?" cried the Perpetual Curate, in sudden +consternation. He was utterly bewildered by the introduction +of a female actor into the little drama, and immediately +ran over in his mind all the women he could think of who +could, by any possibility, be involved in mysterious relations +with his brother Jack.</p> + +<p>"She's but a child," said Elsworthy, pathetically; "she +don't know nothing about the ways o' the world. If she was +a bit proud o' being noticed, there wasn't no harm in that. +But seeing as there's nothing in this world that folks won't +make a talk of when they've started, her aunt, as is very +partic'lar, has took her away. Not as I'm meaning no +reproach to you, Mr Wentworth; but she's a loss to us, is +Rosa. She was a cheerful little thing, say the worst of her," +said Mr Elsworthy; "going a-singing and a-chirping out and +in the shop; and I won't deny as the place looks desolate, +now she's away. But that aint neither here nor there. It +was for her good, as my missis says. Most things as is +unpleasant <i>is</i> sent for good, they tell me; and I wouldn't—not +for any comfort to myself—have a talk got up about the +clergyman—"</p> + +<p>By this time Mr Wentworth had awakened to a sense of +the real meaning of Elsworthy's talk. He sat upright on his +chair, and looked into the face of the worthy shopkeeper +until the poor man trembled. "A talk about the clergyman?" +said the Curate. "About me, do you mean? and +what has little Rosa to do with me? Have you gone crazy +in Carlingford—what is the meaning of it all?" He sat with +his elbows on the counter, looking at his trembling +adherent—looking through and through him, as Elsworthy +said. "I should be glad of an explanation; what does it +mean?" said Mr Wentworth, with a look which there was +no evading; and the clerk of St Roque's cast an anxious +glance round him for help. He would have accepted it +from any quarter at that overwhelming moment; but there +was not even an errand-boy to divert from him the Curate's +terrible eyes.</p> + +<p>"I—I don't know—I—can't tell how it got up," said the +unhappy man, who had not even his "missis" in the +parlour as a moral support. "One thing as I know is, it +wasn't no blame o' mine. I as good as went down on my +knees to them three respected ladies when they come to +inquire. I said as it was kindness in you a-seeing of the +child home, and didn't mean nothing more. I ask you, sir, +what could I do?" cried Mr Elsworthy. "Folks in Carlingford +will talk o' two straws if they're a-seen a-blowing up +Grange Lane on the same breath o' wind. I couldn't do no +more nor contradict it," cried Rosa's guardian, getting +excited in his self-defence; "and to save your feelings, Mr +Wentworth, and put it out o' folks's power to talk, the +missis has been and took her away."</p> + +<p>"To save my feelings!" said the Curate, with a laugh of +contempt and vexation and impatience which it was not +pleasant to hear. At another moment an accusation so +ridiculous would have troubled him very little; but just now, +with a sudden gleam of insight, he saw all the complications +which might spring out of it to confuse further the +path which he already felt to be so burdened. "I'll tell you +what, Elsworthy," said Mr Wentworth; "if you don't want +to make me your enemy instead of your friend, you'll send +for this child instantly, without a day's delay. Tell your +wife that my orders are that she should come back directly. +<i>My</i> feelings! do the people in Carlingford think me an +idiot, I wonder?" said the Curate, walking up and down to +relieve his mind.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, sir, I'm sure," said Elsworthy, who +thought some answer was required of him. To tell the +truth, Rosa's uncle felt a little spiteful. He did not see +matters in exactly the same light as Mr Wentworth did. At +the bottom of his heart, after all, lay a thrill of awakened +ambition. Kings and princes had been known to marry far +out of their degree for the sake of a beautiful face; and why +a Perpetual Curate should be so much more lofty in his +sentiments, puzzled and irritated the clerk of St Roque's. +"There aint a worm but will turn when he's trod upon," +said Mr Elsworthy to himself; and when his temper was +roused, he became impertinent, according to the manner +of his kind.</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth gave him a quick look, struck by the +changed tone, but unable to make out whether it might +not be stupidity. "You understand what I mean, +Elsworthy," he said, with his loftiest air. "If Rosa does not +return instantly, I shall be seriously offended. How you +and your friends could be such utter idiots as to get up this +ridiculous fiction, I can't conceive; but the sooner it's over +the better. I expect to see her back to-morrow," said the +Curate, taking up his bag and looking with an absolute +despotism, which exasperated the man, in Elsworthy's +face.</p> + +<p>"You may be sure, sir, if she knows as you want to see +her, she'll come," said the worm which had been trampled +on; "and them as asks me why, am I to say it was the +clergyman's orders?" said Elsworthy, looking up in his +turn with a consciousness of power. "That means a deal, +does that. I wouldn't take it upon me to say as much, not +of myself; but if them's your orders, Mr Wentworth—"</p> + +<p>"It appears to me, Elsworthy," said the Curate, who +was inwardly in a towering passion, though outwardly +calm enough, "either that you've been drinking or that +you mean to be impertinent—which is it?"</p> + +<p>"Me!—drinking, sir?" cried the shopkeeper. "If I had +been one as was given that way, I wouldn't have attended +to your interests not as I have done. There aint another +man in Carlingford as has stood up for his clergyman as I +have; and as for little Rosa, sir, most folks as had right +notions would have inquired into that; but being as I +trusted in you, I wasn't the one to make any talk. I've said +to everybody as has asked me that there wasn't nothing in +it but kindness. I don't say as I hadn't my own thoughts—for +gentlemen don't go walking up Grange Lane with a +pretty little creature like that all for nothing; but instead o' +making anything of that, or leading of you on, or putting it +in the child's head to give you encouragement, what was it +I did but send her away afore you came home, that you +mightn't be led into temptation! And instead of feelin' +grateful, you say I've been drinking! It's a thing as I scorn +to answer," said Mr Elsworthy; "there aint no need to +make any reply—all Carlingford knows <i>me</i>; but as for +Rosa, if it is understood plain between us that it's your +wish, I aint the man to interfere," continued Rosa's guardian, +with a smile which drove the Curate frantic; "but she +hasn't got no father, poor thing, and it's my business to +look after her; and I'll not bring her back, Mr Wentworth, +unless it's understood between us plain."</p> + +<p>Strong language, forcible, but unclerical, was on the +Curate's lips, and it was only with an effort that he +restrained himself. "Look here, Elsworthy," he said; "it +will be better for you not to exasperate me. You understand +perfectly what I mean. I repeat, Rosa must come +back, and that instantly. It is quite unnecessary to explain +to you why I insist upon this, for you comprehend it. +Pshaw! don't let us have any more of this absurdity," he +exclaimed, impatiently. "No more, I tell you. Your wife is +not such a fool. Let anybody who inquires about me +understand that I have come back, and am quite able to +account for all my actions," said the Curate, shouldering +his bag. He was just about leaving the shop when Elsworthy +rushed after him in an access of alarm and repentance.</p> + +<p>"One moment, sir," cried the shopkeeper; "there aint +no offence, Mr Wentworth? I am sure there aint nobody in +Carlingford as means better, or would do as much for his +clergyman. One moment, sir; there was one thing I forgot +to mention. Mr Wodehouse, sir, has been took bad. There +was a message up a couple of hours ago to know when you +was expected home. He's had a stroke, and they don't +think as he'll get over it—being a man of a full 'abit of +body," said Mr Elsworthy in haste, lest the Curate should +break in on his unfinished speech, "makes it dangerous. +I've had my fears this long time past."</p> + +<p>"A stroke," said the Curate—"a fit, do you mean? +When, and how? and, good heavens! to think that you +have been wasting my time with rubbish, and knew this!" +Mr Wentworth tossed down his travelling-bag again, and +wiped his forehead nervously. He had forgotten his real +anxiety in the irritation of the moment. Now it returned +upon him with double force. "How did it come on?" he +asked, "and when?" and stood waiting for the answer, +with a world of other questions, which he could not put to +Elsworthy, hanging on his lips.</p> + +<p>"I have a deal of respect for that family, sir," said +Elsworthy; "they have had troubles as few folks in Carlingford +know of. How close they have kep' things, to be +sure!—but not so close as them that has good memories, +and can put two and two together, couldn't call to mind. +My opinion, sir, if you believe me," said the clerk of St +Roque's, approaching close to the Curate's ear, "is, that +it's something concerning the son."</p> + +<p>"The son!" said Mr Wentworth, with a troubled look. +Then, after a pause, he added, as if his exclamation had +been an oversight, "What son? has Mr Wodehouse a son?"</p> + +<p>"To think as they should have been so close with the +clergyman!" said Elsworthy, innocently; "though he aint +no credit that they should talk of him. He's been gone out +o' Carlingford nigh upon twenty year; but he aint dead for +all that; and I'm told as he's been seen about Grange Lane +this last spring. I am one as hears all the talk that's a-going +on, being, as you might say, in a public position of life. +Such a thing mightn't maybe come to your ears, sir?" he +continued, looking inquisitively in Mr Wentworth's face; +"but wherever he is, you may be sure it's something about +him as has brought on this attack on the old man. It was +last night as he was took so bad, and a couple of hours ago +a message came up. Miss Wodehouse (as is the nicest lady +in Grange Lane, and a great friend to me) had took a +panic, and she was a-crying for you, the man said, and +wouldn't take no denial. If I had known where you was to +be found, I'd have sent word."</p> + +<p>"Send down my bag to my house," said the Curate, +hastily interrupting him. "Good-night—don't forget what I +said about the other matter." Mr Wentworth went out of +the shop with a disagreeable impression that Elsworthy +had been examining his face like an inquisitor, and was +already forming conclusions from what he had seen there. +He went away hurriedly, with a great many vague fears in +his mind. Mr Wodehouse's sudden illness seemed to him a +kind of repetition and echo of the Squire's, and in the +troubled and uncertain state of his thoughts, he got to +confusing them together in the centre of this whirl of +unknown disaster and perplexity. Perhaps even thus it +was not all bitterness to the young man to feel his family +united with that of Lucy Wodehouse. He went down +Grange Lane in the summer darkness under the faint +stars, full of anxiety and alarm, yet not without a thrill in +his heart, a sweeter under-current of conscious agitation in +the knowledge that he was hastening to her presence. +Sudden breaks in his thoughts revealed her, as if behind a +curtain, rising to receive him, giving him her hand, meeting +his look with a smile; so that, on the whole, neither Gerald's +distress, nor Jack's alarming call, nor his father's attack, +nor Mr Wodehouse's illness, nor the general atmosphere +of vexation and trouble surrounding his way, could succeed +in making the young man totally wretched. He had this +little stronghold of his own to retire into. The world could +not fall to pieces so long as he continued with eager steps +to devour the road which led to Mr Wodehouse's garden-door.</p> + +<p>Before he had reached that goal, however, he met a +group who were evidently returning from some little dinner +in Grange Lane. Mr Wentworth took off his hat hastily in +recognition of Mrs Morgan, who was walking by her +husband's side, with a bright-coloured hood over her head +instead of a bonnet. The Curate, who was a man of taste, +could not help observing, even in the darkness, and amid +all his preoccupations, how utterly the cherry-coloured +trimmings of her head-dress were out of accordance with +the serious countenance of the Rector's wife, who was a +little heated with her walk. She was a good woman, but +she was not fair to look upon; and it occurred to Mr +Wentworth to wonder, if Lucy were to wait ten years for +him, would the youthful grace dry and wither out of her +like this! And then all at once another idea flashed upon +his mind, without any wish of his. Like the unhappy lover +in the ballad, he was suddenly aware of a temptation—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <p class="noindent"> +"How there looked him in the face<br /> + An angel beautiful and bright,<br /> + And how he knew it was a fiend." + </p> +</div> + +<p>"Of course the Rectory will go to Frank." He could not +tell why at that moment the words rang into his ear with +such a penetrating sound. That he hated himself for being +able to think of such a possibility made no difference. It +came darting and tingling into his mind like one of those +suggestions of blasphemy which the devils whispered in +Christian's ear as he went through the Valley of the +Shadow of Death. He went on faster than ever to escape +from it, scarcely observing that Mrs Morgan, instead of +simply acknowledging his bow as she passed, stopped to +shake hands, and to say how glad she was he had come +back again. He thought of it afterwards with wonder and a +strange gratitude. The Rector's wife was not like the +conventional type of a pitying angel; and even had she +been so, he had not time to recognise her at that moment +as he went struggling with his demons to Mr Wodehouse's +green door.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI.</h3> + +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">When</span> the green door was opened, Mr Wentworth saw at a +glance that there was agitation and trouble in the house. +Lights were twinkling irregularly in the windows here and +there, but the family apartment, the cheerful drawing-room, +which generally threw its steady, cheerful blaze +over the dark garden, shone but faintly with half-extinguished +lights and undrawn curtains. It was evident at a +glance that the room was deserted, and its usual occupants +engaged elsewhere. "Master's very bad, sir," said the +servant who opened the door; "the young ladies is both +with him, and a hired nurse come in besides. The doctor +don't seem to have no great hopes, but it will be a comfort +to know as you have come back. Miss Wodehouse wanted +you very bad an hour or two ago, for they thought as +master was reviving, and could understand. I'll go and let +them know you are here."</p> + +<p>"Don't disturb them, unless I can be of use," said Mr +Wentworth. The look of the house, and the atmosphere of +distress and anxiety about it, chilled him suddenly. His +visions and hopes seemed guilty and selfish as he went +slowly up those familiar steps and into the house, over +which the shadow of death seemed already lying. He went +by himself into the forsaken drawing-room, where two +neglected candles were burning feebly in a corner, and the +wistful sky looking in as if to ask why the domestic temple +was thus left open and uncared for. After the first moment +he went hastily to the windows, and drew down the blinds +in a kind of tender impatience. He could not bear that +anything in the world, even her father's danger, should +discompose the sweet, good order of the place where +Lucy's image dwelt. There was a chair and her basket of +work, and on the little table a book marked with pencil-marks, +such as youthful readers love to make; and by +degrees that breath of Lucy lingering in the silent room +overcame its dreariness, and the painful sense of desertion +which had struck him at first. He hovered about that +corner where her usual place was, feeling in his heart that +Lucy in trouble was dearer, if possible, than Lucy in +happiness, and hung over her chair, with a mixture of +reverence and tenderness and yearning, which could +never be expressed in words. It was the divinest phase of +love which was in his mind at the moment; for he was not +thinking of himself, but of her, and of how he could +succour and comfort her, and interpose his own true heart +and life between her and all trouble. It was at this moment +that Lucy herself entered the room; she came in softly, +and surprised him in the overflowing of his heart. She held +out her hand to him as usual, and smiled, perhaps less +brightly, but that of course arose from the circumstances +of the house; and her voice was very measured and steady +when she spoke, less variable than of old. What was it she +said? Mr Wentworth unconsciously left the neighbourhood +of that chair over which he had been bending, which, to +tell the truth, he had leaned his head upon, lover-like, and +perhaps even kissed for her sake, five minutes before, and +grew red and grew pale with a strange revulsion and +tumult of feeling. He could not tell what the difference +was, or what it meant. He only felt in an instant, with a +sense of the change that chilled him to the heart, as if +somehow a wall of ice had risen between them. He could +see her through the transparent veil, and hear her speak, +and perceive the smile which cast no warmth of reflection +on him; but in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, +everything in heaven and earth was changed. Lucy herself, +to her own consciousness, trembled and faltered, and +felt as if her voice and her looks must betray an amount of +emotion which she would have died rather than show; but +then Lucy had rehearsed this scene before, and knew all +she intended by it; whereas upon the Curate, in his little +flush and overflow of tenderness, it fell like a sudden +earthquake, rending his fair edifice of happiness asunder, +and casting him out into unexpected darkness. Sudden +confusion, mortification, even a sense of injury and bitterness, +came swelling over his heart as he set a chair for her +as far away as possible from the corner in which he had +been indulging such vain and unwarrantable dreams.</p> + +<p>"It happened yesterday," said Lucy; "we have not been +quite able to make out what was the cause; at least <i>I</i> have +not been able to find it out. The clerks at the office say it +was something about—but that does not matter," she went +on, with her sweet politeness: "you don't care for the +details. I sometimes fancy Mary knows more than she tells +me, and I think you are in her confidence, Mr Wentworth. +But I am not going to ask you any questions. The doctors +say he is not suffering so much as he seems to be. It is +terrible to see him lie there not knowing any of us," said +Lucy, with a tremble in her voice.</p> + +<p>"But you thought him better some time ago?" said the +Curate, whose words choked him, and who could not +endure to speak.</p> + +<p>"Yes, about six o'clock," said Lucy, "he tried to speak, +and put Mary in a great fright, I cannot tell why. Would +you be good enough, Mr Wentworth," she went on hastily, +with a strange mixture of earnestness and coldness, "if you +know of anything she is keeping secret, to bid her tell me? +I am able to bear anything there may be to bear—surely +as well as she is, who has had no trouble," said Lucy, +softly; and for a moment she wavered in her fixed composure, +and the wall of ice moved as if it might fall.</p> + +<p>"Nor you?" said the Curate, bending anxiously forward +to look into her eyes. He was inexpressibly moved and +agitated by the inference, which perhaps no listener less +intensely concerned would have drawn from what Lucy +said. He could not bear that she should have any trouble +which he might not do something to relieve her of.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, nor I," said Lucy, quickly, and in that moment +the softening of tone disappeared entirely. "Mary will be +pleased to see you, Mr Wentworth. I will go and relieve +her presently. Papa is asleep just now, and I was down-stairs +giving some directions when you came in. I wanted +to ask you to look after that poor woman at No. 10. She +still keeps living on, and I have not been able to see her +today. She misses me when I don't go," said Lucy, with a +very little unconscious sigh. "Would you see her, please, +to-morrow, if you have time?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, certainly," said the Curate; and then there was a +pause. "Is there nothing but this that you will let me do for +you?" he asked, trusting to his looks to show the heart, +which at this moment he was so much tempted to disclose +to her, but dared not. And even in all her trouble Lucy +was too much of a woman to neglect an opportunity so +tempting.</p> + +<p>"Thank you," she said. "Yes, there are those poor little +Bertrams I was to have seen today—if you would be so +very good as to send some one to them." Lucy lifted her +eyes only as she ended this little speech. She had meant it +cruelly, to be sure, and the arrow had gone home; but +when she met the look that was fixed on her after her little +shaft was fired, Lucy's resolution faltered. The tears came +rushing to her eyes so hot and rapid that she could not +restrain them. Some trouble of her own gave poignancy to +that outbreak of filial grief. "Papa is so very ill!" she said, +with a sob, as a scalding drop fell upon her hand; and then +got up suddenly, afraid of the consequences. But the +Curate, mortified, wounded, and disheartened as he was, +had no comprehension either of the bitterness or the +relenting that was in Lucy's thoughts. Rosa Elsworthy did +not so much as occur to him in all his confused wonderings. +He went after her to the door, too much perplexed and +distressed to be indignant, as his first impulse was. She +turned half round, with a tremulous little inclination of her +head, which was all the good-night she could venture on. +But the young man was too much disturbed to permit this.</p> + +<p>"You will give me your hand, surely," he said, taking it, +and holding it fast—a hand so different from that weak +woman's hand that clung to Gerald without any force to +hold him, in Wentworth Rectory. Those reluctant fingers, +so firm and so soft, which scorned any struggle to withdraw +themselves, but remained passive in his with a more +effectual protest still against his grasp, wrung the very +heart of the Perpetual Curate. He let them go with a sigh +of vexation and disappointment. "Since that is all I can do, +I will do it," he said—"that or anything else." She had left +him almost before the words were said; and it was in a +very disconsolate mood that he turned back into the +deserted drawing-room. To tell the truth, he forgot everything +else for the moment, asking himself what it could +mean; and walked about stumbling over the chairs, feeling +all his little edifice of personal consolation falling to the +winds, and not caring much though everything else should +follow. He was in this state of mind when Miss Wodehouse +came to him, moving with noiseless steps, as everybody +did in the stricken house.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Wentworth, I am so glad you have come," said +that mild woman, holding out both her hands to him. She +was too much agitated to say anything more. She was not +equal to the emergency, or any emergency, but sank +down on a chair, and relieved herself by tears, while the +Curate stood anxiously by, waiting for what she had to say +to him. "My father is very ill," she said, like Lucy, +through her crying; "I don't know what good anybody can +do; but thank God you've come home—now I shall feel I +have somebody to apply to, whatever happens," said poor +Miss Wodehouse, drying the eyes that were suffused +again the next moment. Her helpless distress did not +overwhelm the spectator, like Lucy's restrained trouble, +but that was natural enough.</p> + +<p>"Tell me about it," said Mr Wentworth; "the cause—can +I guess at the cause? it is something about your—"</p> + +<p>"Oh hush! don't say his name," cried Miss Wodehouse. +"Yes, yes, what else could it be? Oh, Mr Wentworth, will +you close the door, please, and see that there's no one +about. I dare not speak to you till I am sure there's no one +listening; not that I suspect anybody of listening," said the +distressed woman; "but one never knows. I am afraid it is +all my fault," she continued, getting up suddenly to see +that the windows were closed. "I ought to have sent him +away, instead of putting my trouble upon you; and now he +is in greater danger than ever. Oh, Mr Wentworth, I +meant it for the best; and now, unless you can help us, I +don't know what I am to do."</p> + +<p>"I cannot help you unless you tell me what is wrong," +said the Curate, making her sit down, and drawing a chair +close to her. He took her hand, by way of compelling her +attention—a fair, soft hand, too, in its restless, anxious +way. He held it in a brotherly grasp, trying to restore her +to coherence, and induce her to speak.</p> + +<p>"I don't know enough about business to tell you," she +said. "He was in danger when I threw him upon your +charity; and oh, Mr Wentworth, thank you, thank you a +thousand times, for taking him in like a brother. If Lucy +only knew! But I don't feel as if I dared to tell her—and +yet I sometimes think I ought, for your—I mean for all our +sakes. Yes, I will try to explain it if I can; but I can't—indeed +I don't understand," cried the poor lady, in despair. +"It is something about a bill—it was something about +a bill before; and I thought I could soften papa, and +persuade him to be merciful; but it has all turned to +greater wretchedness and misery. The first one was paid, +you know, and I thought papa might relent;—but—don't cast +us off, Mr Wentworth—don't go and denounce him; you +might, but you will not. It would be justice, I acknowledge," +cried the weeping woman; "but there is something higher +than justice even in this world. You are younger than I am, +and so is Lucy; but you are better than me, you young +people, and you must be more merciful too. I have seen you +going among the poor people and among the sick, and I +could not have done it; and you won't forsake me—oh, Mr +Wentworth, you won't forsake me, when you know that my +trouble is greater than I can bear!"</p> + +<p>"I will not forsake you," said the Curate; "but tell me +what it is. I have been summoned to Carlingford by my +brother, and I am bewildered and disturbed beyond what +I can tell you—"</p> + +<p>"By your brother?" said Miss Wodehouse, with her +unfailing instinct of interest in other people. "I hope there +is no trouble in your own family, Mr Wentworth. One gets +so selfish when one is in great distress. I hope he is not ill. +It sounds as if there was comfort in the very name of a +brother," said the gentle woman, drying her tears, "and I +hope it is so with you; but it isn't always so. I hope you will +find he is better when you get home. I am very, very sorry +to hear that you are in trouble too."</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth got up from his chair with a sigh of +impatience. "Will nobody tell me what is the matter?" he +said. "Mr Wodehouse is ill, and there is some mysterious +cause for it; and you are miserable, and there is a cause for +that too; and I am to do something to set things right +without knowing what is wrong. Will you not tell me? +What is it? Has your—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Wentworth, don't say anybody's name—don't +speak so loud. There may be a servant in the staircase or +something," cried Miss Wodehouse. "I hear somebody +coming now." She got up to listen, her face growing white +with panic, and went a few steps towards the door, and +then tottered into another chair, unable to command herself. +A certain sick thrill of apprehension came over the Curate, +too, as he hastened forward. He could not tell what he +was afraid of, or whether it was only the accumulated +agitation of the day that made him weak. Somebody +was coming up the stairs, and towards the room, with +a footstep more careless than those stealthy steps with +which all the servants were stealing about the house. +Whoever he was, he stopped at the door a moment, and +then looked cautiously in. When he saw the figure of the +Curate in the imperfect light, he withdrew his head again +as if deliberating with himself, and then, with a sudden +rush, came in, and shut the door after him. "Confound +these servants, they're always prowling about the house," +said the new-comer. He was an alarming apparition in his +great beard and his shabbiness, and the fugitive look he +had. "I couldn't help it," he broke forth, with a spontaneous +burst of apology and self-defence. "I heard he was +ill, and I couldn't keep quiet. How is he? You don't mean +to say <i>that's</i> my fault. Molly, can't you speak to me? How +could I tell I should find you and the parson alone here, +and all safe? I might have been risking my—my—freedom—everything +I care for; but when I heard he was ill, I +couldn't stay quiet. Is he dying?—what's the matter? +Molly, can't you speak?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Wentworth, somebody will see him," cried +Miss Wodehouse, wringing her hands. "Oh Tom, Tom, +how could you do it? Suppose somebody was to come in—John +or somebody. If you care for your own life, oh, go +away, go away!"</p> + +<p>"They can't touch my life," said the stranger, sullenly. +"I daresay she doesn't know that. Nor the parson need not +look superior—there are more people concerned than I; +but if I've risked everything to hear, you may surely tell +me how the old man is."</p> + +<p>"If it was love that brought you," said poor Miss Wodehouse; +"but oh, Tom, you know I can't believe that. He is +very, very ill; and it is you that have done it," cried the +mild woman, in a little gush of passion—"you whom he +has forgiven and forgiven till his heart is sick. Go away, I +tell you, go away from the house that you have shamed. +Oh, Mr Wentworth, take him away," she cried, turning to +the Curate with clasped hands—"tell him to hide—to fly—or +he'll be taken: he will not be forgiven this time; and if +my father—if my dear father dies—" But when she got so +far her agitation interrupted her. She kept her eyes upon +the door with a wild look of terror, and waved her helpless +hands to warn the intruder away.</p> + +<p>"If he dies, matters will be altered," said the stranger: +"you and I might change places then, for that matter. I'm +going away from Carlingford. I can't stay in such a +wretched hole any longer. It's gout or something?" said +the man, with a tone of nature breaking through his +bravado—"it's not anything that has happened? Say so, +and I'll never trouble you more."</p> + +<p>"Oh, if Lucy were to see him!" said poor Miss Wodehouse. +The words came unawares out of her heart without +any thought; but the next thing of which she was conscious +was that the Perpetual Curate had laid his hand on the +stranger's arm, and was leading him reluctantly away. "I +will tell you all you want to know," said Mr Wentworth, +"but not here;" and with his hand upon the other's arm, +moved him somehow with an irresistible command, half +physical, half mental, to the door. Before Miss Wodehouse +could say anything they were gone; before she could +venture to draw that long sighing breath of relief, she +heard the door below close, and the retreating footsteps in +the garden. But the sound, thankful though she was, +moved her to another burst of bitter tears. "To think I +should have to tell a stranger to take him away," she +sobbed, out of the anguish of her heart; and sat weeping +over him with a relenting that wrung her tender spirit, +without power to move till the servant came up with +alarmed looks to ask if any one had come in in his absence. +"Oh, no; it was only Mr Wentworth—and a—gentleman +who came to fetch him," said Miss Wodehouse. And she +got up, trembling as she was, and told John he had better +shut up the house and go to bed. "For I hope papa will +have a better night, and we must not waste our strength," +she said, with a kind of woeful smile, which was a wonder +to John. He said Miss Wodehouse was a tender-hearted +one, to be sure, when he went down-stairs; but that was no +very novel piece of information to anybody there.</p> + +<p>Meantime the Curate went down Grange Lane with that +strange lodger of Mrs Hadwin's, who had broken thus into +Miss Wodehouse's solitude. They did not say much to +each other as they went sullenly side by side down the +silent road; for the stranger, whose feelings were not +complicated by any very lively sense of gratitude, looked +upon his companion as a kind of jailer, and had an +unspeakable grudge against the man who exercised so +calm an ascendancy over him; though to be sure it might +have been difficult to resist the moral force of the Curate +of St Roque's, who was three inches taller than himself, +and had the unbroken vigour of youth and health to back +him. As for Mr Wentworth, he went on without speaking, +with a bitterness in his heart not to be expressed. His own +personal stronghold of happiness and consolation had shattered +in pieces in that evening's interview; and as he went +to his own house he asked himself what he should find in it? +This wretched man, with whose sins he had been hitherto +but partially acquainted; and Jack, with whom the other +had heaven knew what horrible connection. Should he +find a den of thieves where he had left only high thoughts +and lofty intentions? It was thus, after his three days' +absence, that he returned home.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">When</span> Mr Wentworth entered Mrs Hadwin's garden in +the dark, his first glance up at the house showed him that a +certain change had passed on it also. The decorous little +house had been turned inside out. The windows of his own +sitting-room were open, the blind drawn up to the top, and +in addition to his usual lamp some candles were flaring +wildly in the draught. He could see into the room as he +paused at the garden-door, and was able to distinguish +that the table was still covered as for dinner, and to catch +the purple gleam of the light in the claret-jug which +occupied the place of honour; but nobody was visible in +the room. That wildly-illuminated and open apartment +stood in strange contrast with the rest of the house, where +everything was dark, save in Mrs Hadwin's own chamber. +The Curate proceeded on his way, after that moment's +pause, with hasty and impatient steps. On the way up he +encountered Sarah the housemaid, who stopped in the +middle of the stairs to make a frightened little curtsy, and +utter an alarmed "La!" of recognition and surprise. But +Sarah turned round as soon as she had recovered herself, +to say that her missis wanted very bad to see Mr Wentworth +as soon as he came home; but she was gone up to +bed now, and didn't he think it would be a pity to wake +her up? The Curate gave her only a little nod of general +acquiescence, as he hurried on; but felt, notwithstanding, +that this prompt request, ready prepared for his arrival, +was a tacit protest against his guests, and expression of disapproval. +Mrs Hadwin was only his landlady, an old woman, +and not a particularly wise one, but her disapproval +vexed the Perpetual Curate. It was a kind of sign of +the times—those times in which it appeared that everybody +was ready to turn upon him and embarrass his path. +He had forgotten all about his companion as he hurried +into the familiar room which was so little like itself, but yet +was somehow conscious with annoyance that the stranger +followed him through its half-shut door. The scene within +was one which was never effaced from Mr Wentworth's +memory. There were several bottles upon the table, which +the poor Curate knew by sight, and which had been +collected in his little cellar more for the benefit of Wharfside +than of himself. Removed out of the current of air +which was playing freely through the apartment, was +some one lying on a sofa, with candles burning on a table +beside him. He was in a dressing-gown, with his shirt open +at the throat, and his languid frame extended in perfect +repose to catch the refreshment of the breeze. Clouds of +languid smoke, which were too far out of the way to feel +the draught between the windows, curled over him: he +had a cigar in one hand, which he had just taken from his +lips, and with which he was faintly waving off a big night-moth +which had been attracted by the lights; and a French +novel, unmistakable in its paper cover, had closed upon +the other. Altogether a more languid figure never lay at +rest in undisturbed possession of the most legitimate +retirement. He had the Wentworth hair, the golden-brown, +which, like all their other family features, even +down to their illnesses, the race was proud of, and a +handsome silky beard. He had lived a hard life of pleasure +and punishment; but though he had reached middle age, +there was not a hair on the handsome reprobate's head +which had changed out of its original colour. He looked +languidly up when the door opened, but did not stop the +delicate fence which he was carrying on against the moth, +nor the polyglot oaths which he was swearing at it softly +half under his breath.</p> + +<p>"Frank, I suppose," he said, calmly, as the Curate +came hastily forward. "How d'ye do? I am very glad +you've come back. The country was very charming the +first day, but that's a charm that doesn't last. I suppose +you've dined: or will you ring and order something?" he +said, turning slowly round on his sofa. "Accidente! the +thing will kill itself after all. Would you mind catching it in +your handkerchief before you sit down? But don't take +away the candles. It's too late to make any exertion," said +the elegant prodigal, leaning back languidly on his sofa; +"but I assure you that light is half my life."</p> + +<p>The Curate was tired, heated, and indignant. He lifted +the candles away from the table, and then put them back +again, too much excited to think of the moth. "Your +arrival must have been very sudden," he said, throwing +himself into the nearest chair. "I was very much surprised +by your message. It looks inhospitable, but I see you +make yourself quite at home—"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly," said the elder brother, resuming his cigar. +"I always do. It is much more agreeable for all parties. +But I don't know how it is that a man's younger brothers +are always so rapid and unreasonable in their movements. +Instead of saving that unhappy insect, you have precipitated +its fate. Poor thing—and it had no soul," said the +intruder, with a tone of pathos. The scene altogether was a +curious one. Snugly sheltered from the draught, but +enjoying the coolness of the atmosphere which it produced, +lay the figure on the sofa at perfect ease and leisure, with +the light shed brightly upon him, on his shining beard, the +white cool expanse of linen at his breast, and the bright +hues of his dressing-gown. Near him, fatigued, dusty, +indignant, and perplexed, sat the Curate, with the night +air playing upon him, and moving his disordered hair on +his forehead; while at the other end of the room hovered +the stranger who had followed Mr Wentworth—a broad, +shabby, indistinct figure, who stood with his back to the +others, looking vaguely out of the window into the darkness. +Over these two the night air blew with no small force +between the open windows, making the candles on the +centre table flare wildly, and flapping the white tablecloth. +An occasional puff from the cigar floated now and then +across the room. It was a pause before the storm.</p> + +<p>"I was about to say," said the Perpetual Curate, "that +though it might seem inhospitable, the first thing I had to +ask was, What brought you here—and why did you send +for me?"</p> + +<p>"Don't be abrupt, pray," said Jack, taking his cigar +from his mouth, and slightly waving the hand that held it. +"Don't let us plunge into business all at once. You bring a +sense of fatigue into the room with you, and the atmosphere +was delightful a little while ago. I flatter myself I know +how to enjoy the cool of the evening. Suppose you were to—ah—refresh +yourself a little," he said, with a disapproving +glance at his brother's dusty boots, "before we begin to +talk of our affairs."</p> + +<p>The Curate of St Roque's got up from his chair, feeling +that he had an unchristian inclination to kick the heir of +the Wentworths. As he could not do that, he shut the +window behind him emphatically, and extinguished the +flaring candles on the centre table. "I detest a draught," +said the Perpetual Curate, which, unfortunately, was not +a statement entirely founded on fact, though so far true in +the present instance that he hated anything originated by +the intruder. "I have hurried home in reply to your +message, and I should be glad to know what it means, now +that I am here—what you are in trouble about—and why +you come to me—and what you have to do with him?"</p> + +<p>"But you need not have deranged the temperature," +said Jack. "Impetuosity always distresses me. All these +are questions which it will take some time to answer. Let +me persuade you, in the first place, to make yourself +comfortable. Don't mind me; I am at the crisis of my +novel, which is very interesting. I have just been thinking +how it might be adapted for the stage—there's a character +that Fechter could make anything of. Now, my dear +fellow, don't stand on ceremony. Take a bath and change +your dress, and in the mean time there will be time to cook +something—the cookery here is not bad for the country. +After that we'll discuss all our news. I daresay our friend +there is in no hurry," said the elder brother, opening his +book and puffing slowly towards the Curate the languid +smoke of his cigar.</p> + +<p>"But, by Jove, I <i>am</i> in a hurry, though," said that +nameless individual, coming forward. "It's all very well +for you: you put a man up to everything that's dangerous, +and then you leave him in the lurch, and say it don't +matter. I daresay it don't matter to you. All that you've +done has been to share the profit—you've nothing to do +with the danger; but I'm savage to-night, and I don't mean +to stand it any more," said the stranger, his great chest +expanding with a panting breath. He, too, looked as if he +would have liked to seize the languid spectator in his +teeth and shake some human feeling into him. Jack +Wentworth raised his eyebrows and looked at him, as he +might have looked at a wild beast in a rage.</p> + +<p>"Sit down, savage, and be quiet," he said. "Why should +I trouble myself about you?—any fool could get into your +scrape. I am not in the habit of interfering in a case of +common crime. What I do, I do out of pity," he continued, +with an air of superiority, quite different from his tone to +his brother. But this look, which had answered before, +was not successful to-night.</p> + +<p>"By Jove, I <i>am</i> savage!" said the other, setting his +teeth, "and I know enough of your ways to teach you +different behaviour. The parson has treated me like a +gentleman—like what I used to be, though he don't like +me; but you!—By Jove! It was only my own name I signed, +after all," he continued, after a pause, lowering his voice; +"but you, you blackleg—"</p> + +<p>"Stop a little," said the Curate, rising up. "Though you +seem both to have forgotten it, this is my room. I don't +mean to have any altercations here. I have taken you in +for the sake of your—family," said Mr Wentworth, with a +momentary gasp, "and you have come because you are +my brother. I don't deny any natural claims upon me; but +I am master of my own house and my own leisure. Get up, +Jack, and tell me what you want. When I understand +what it is, you can lounge at your will; but in the mean +time get up and explain: and as for you, Wodehouse—"</p> + +<p>Jack Wentworth faced round on his sofa, and then, with +a kind of involuntary motion, slid his feet to the ground. +He looked at his brother with extreme amazement as he +closed his novel and tossed away the end of his cigar. "It's +much better not to mention names," he said, in a half-apologetic +way. "Our friend here is under a temporary +cloud. His name, in fact, is—Smith, I think." But as he +spoke he sat upright, a little startled to find that Frank, +whom he remembered only as a lad, was no longer to be +coerced and concussed. As for the other, he came forward +with the alacrity of a man who began to see some hope.</p> + +<p>"By Jove, my name <i>is</i> Wodehouse, though," he said, in +the argumentative tone which seemed habitual to him; his +voice came low and grumbling through his beard. He was +not of the class of triumphant sinners, whatever wickedness +he might be capable of. To tell the truth, he had long, +long ago fallen out of the butterfly stage of dissipation, and +had now to be the doer of dirty work, despised and hustled +about by such men as Jack Wentworth. The wages of sin +had long been bitter enough, though he had neither any +hope of freeing himself, nor any wish to do so; but he took +up a grumbling tone of self-assertion as soon as he had an +opening. "The parson treats me like a gentleman—like +what I used to be," he repeated, coming into the light, and +drawing a chair towards the table. "My name is Wodehouse—it's +my own name that I have signed after all, by Jove!" +said the unlucky prodigal. It seemed to give him a little +comfort to say that over again, as if to convince himself.</p> + +<p>"As for Wodehouse, I partly understand what he has +done," said the Curate. "It appears likely that he has killed +his father, by the way; but I suppose you don't count that. +It is forgery in the mean time; I understand as much."</p> + +<p>"It's my name as well as his, by Jove!" interrupted, +hastily, the stranger, under his breath.</p> + +<p>"Such strong terms are unnecessary," said Jack; +"everybody knows that bills are drawn to be renewed, and +nursed, and taken care of. We've had a great failure in +luck as it happens, and these ones have come down to this +deuced place; and the old fellow, instead of paying them +like a gentleman, has made a row, and dropped down +dead, or something. I suppose you don't know any more +than the women have told you. The old man made a row +in the office, and went off in fire and flame, and gave up +our friend here to his partner's tender mercies. I sent for +you, as you've taken charge of him. I suppose you have +your reasons. This is an unlikely corner to find him in, and +I suppose he couldn't be safer anywhere. That's about the +state of the case. I came down to look after him, out of +kind feeling," said the heir of the Wentworths. "If you +don't mean to eat any dinner, have a cigar."</p> + +<p>"And what have you to do with each other? what is the +connection between you?" said the Curate of St Roque's. +"I have my reasons, as you say, for taking an interest in him—but +you—"</p> + +<p>"I am only your elder brother," said Jack, shrugging his +shoulders and resuming his place on the sofa. "We understand +that difference. Business connection—that's all," he +said, leisurely selecting another cigar from his case. When +he had lighted it, he turned round and fixed his eyes upon +the stranger. "We don't want any harm to happen to +him," he said, with a little emphasis. "I have come here to +protect him. If he keeps quiet and doesn't show, it will +blow over. The keenest spy in the place could scarcely +suspect him to be here. I have come entirely on his +account—much to my own disgust—and yours," said the +exquisite, with another shrug. He laid back his head and +looked up at the ceiling, contemplating the fragrant +wreaths of smoke with the air of a man perfectly at his +ease. "We don't mean him to come to any harm," said +Jack Wentworth, and stretched out his elegant limbs on +the sofa, like a potentate satisfied that his protection was +enough to make any man secure.</p> + +<p>"I'm too much in their secrets, by Jove!" said poor +Wodehouse, in his beard. "I <i>do</i> know their secrets, though +they talk so big. It's not any consideration for me. It's to +save themselves, by Jove, that's what it is!" cried the +indignant drudge, of whom his superior deigned to take no +notice. As for Mr Wentworth, he rose from his seat in a +state of suppressed indignation, which could not express +itself merely in words.</p> + +<p>"May I ask what share I am expected to play in the +drama?" he asked, pushing his chair aside in his excitement. +The elder brother turned instinctively, and once +more slid his feet to the ground. They looked at each other +for a moment; the Curate, pale with a passion which he +could not conceal, had something in his eyes which brought +shame even to Jack Wentworth's face.</p> + +<p>"You can betray him if you like," he said, sulkily. "I +have no—particular interest in the matter; but in that case +he had better make the best of his time and get away. You +hear?" said the master-spirit, making a sign to Wodehouse. +He had roused himself up, and looked now like a feline +creature preparing for a spring—his eyes were cast down, +but under the eyelids he followed his brother's movements +with vigilant observation. "If you like, you can betray +him," he repeated, slowly, understanding, as bad men so +often do, the generosities of the nature to which his own +was so much opposed.</p> + +<p>And perhaps there was an undue degree of exasperation +in the indignant feelings which moved Mr Wentworth. He +kicked off his dusty boots with an indecorum quite unusual +to him, and hunted up his slippers out of the adjoining +room with perhaps an unnecessary amount of noise and +haste. Then he went and looked out of the window into the +serene summer darkness and the dewy garden, getting a +little fresh air upon his heated face. Last of all he came +back, peremptory and decided. "I shall not betray him," +said the Perpetual Curate; "but I will have no further +schemes concocted nor villany carried on in my house. If +I consent to shield him, and, if possible, save him from the +law, it is neither for his sake—nor yours," said the +indignant young man. "I suppose it is no use saying +anything about your life; but both of you have fathers +very like to die of this—"</p> + +<p>"My dear fellow," said Jack Wentworth, "we have gone +through that phase ages ago. Don't be so much after date. +I have brought down my father's grey hairs, &c., a hundred +times; and, I daresay, so has he. Don't treat us as if we +were in the nursery—a parson of advanced views like you +should have something a little more novel to say."</p> + +<p>"And so I have," said Mr Wentworth, with a heightened +colour. "There are capital rooms at the Blue Boar, which +you will find very comfortable, I am sure. I don't +remember that we have ever been more than acquaintances; +and to take possession of a man's house in his +absence argues a high degree of friendship, as you are +aware. It will be with difficulty that I shall find room for +myself to-night; but to-morrow, I trust, if business requires +you to remain in Carlingford, you will be able to find +accommodation at the Blue Boar."</p> + +<p>The elder brother grew very red all over his face. "I will +go at once," he said, with a little start; and then he took a +second thought. "It is a poor sort of way of winning a +victory," he said, in contemptuous tones, after he had +overcome his first impulse; "but if you choose that, it is no +matter to me. I'll go to-morrow, as you say—to pack up +to-night is too much for my energies. In the mean time it +won't disturb you, I hope, if I go on with my novel. I don't +suppose any further civilities are necessary between you +and me," said Jack, once more putting up his feet on the +sofa. He arranged himself with an indifference which was +too genuine for bravado, opening his book, and puffing his +cigar with great coolness. He did all but turn his back upon +the others, and drew the little table nearer to him, in utter +disregard of the fact that the Curate was leaning his arm +on it. In short, he retired from the contest with a kind of +grandeur, with his cigar and his novel, and the candles +which lighted him up placidly, and made him look like the +master of the house and the situation. There was a pause +for some minutes, during which the others looked on—Mr +Wentworth with a perfectly unreasonable sense of defeat, +and poor Wodehouse with that strange kind of admiration +which an unsuccessful good-for-nothing naturally feels for +a triumphant rascal. They were in the shade looking on, +and he in the light enjoying himself calmly in his way. The +sight put an end to various twinges of repentance in the +bosom of the inferior sinner. Jack Wentworth, lying on the +sofa in superb indifference, victorious over all sense of +right, did more to confirm his humble admirer in the life +which he had almost made up his mind to abandon, than +even his own inclination towards forbidden pleasure. He +was dazzled by the success of his principal; and in comparison +with that instructive sight, his father's probable +deathbed, his sisters' tears, and even his own present +discomfort, faded into insignificance. What Jack +Wentworth was, Tom Wodehouse could never be; but at +least he could follow his great model humbly and afar off. +These sentiments made him receive but sulkily the +admonitions of the Curate, when he led the way out of the +preoccupied sitting-room; for Mr Wentworth was certainly +not the victor in this passage of arms.</p> + +<p>"I will do what I can to help you out of this," said the +Curate, pausing within the door of Wodehouse's room, +"for the sake of your—friends. But look here, Wodehouse; +I have not preached to you hitherto, and I don't mean to +do so now. When a man has done a crime, he is generally +past preaching. The law will punish you for forging your +father's name—"</p> + +<p>"It's <i>my</i> name as well as his, by Jove!" interrupted the +culprit, sullenly; "I've a right to sign it wherever I please."</p> + +<p>"But the law," said Mr Wentworth, with emphasis, "has +nothing to do with the breaking of your father's heart. If +he dies, think whether the recollection will be a comfortable +one. I will save you, if I can, and there is time, +though I am compromised already, and it may do me +serious injury. If you get free and are cleared from this, +will you go away and break off your connection with—yes, +you are quite right—I mean with my brother, whatever +the connection may be? I will only exert myself for you on +condition that you promise. You will go away somehow, +and break off your old habits, and try if it is possible to +begin anew?"</p> + +<p>Wodehouse paused before he answered. The vision of +Jack in the Curate's sitting-room still dazzled him. "You +daren't say as much to your brother as you say to me," he +replied, after a while, in his sulky way; "but I'm a +gentleman, by Jove, as well as he is." And he threw +himself down in a chair, and bit his nails, and grumbled +into his beard. "It's hard to ask a fellow to give up his +liberty," he said, without lifting his eyes. Mr Wentworth, +perhaps, was a little contemptuous of the sullen wretch +who already had involved him in so much annoyance and +trouble.</p> + +<p>"You can take your choice," he said; "the law will +respect your liberty less than I shall;" and all the Curate's +self-control could not conceal a certain amount of disdain.</p> + +<p>"By Jove!" said Wodehouse, lifting up his eyes, "if the +old man should die, you'd change your tone;" and then he +stopped short and looked suspiciously at the Curate. +"There's no will, and I'm the heir," he said, with sullen +braggadocio. Mr Wentworth was still young, and this look +made him sick with disgust and indignation.</p> + +<p>"Then you can take your chance," he said, impatiently, +making a hasty step to the door. He would not return, +though his ungrateful guest called him back, but went +away, much excited and disgusted, to see if the fresh air +outside would restore his composure. On his way down-stairs, +he again met Sarah, who was hovering about in a +restless state of curiosity. "I've made a bed for you, +please, sir, in the little dressing-room," said Sarah; "and, +please, Cook wants to know, wouldn't you have anything +to eat?" The question reminded Mr Wentworth that he +had eaten nothing since luncheon, which he took in his +father's house. Human nature, which can bear great blows +with elasticity so wonderful, is apt to be put out, as +everybody knows, by their most trifling accessories, and a +man naturally feels miserable when he had had no dinner, +and has not a place to shelter him while he snatches a +necessary mouthful. "Never mind; all the rooms are +occupied to-night," said the Perpetual Curate, feeling +thoroughly wretched. But Cook and Sarah had arranged +all that, being naturally indignant that their favourite +clergyman should be put "upon" by his disorderly and +unexpected guests.</p> + +<p>"I have set your tray, sir, in missis's parlour," said +Sarah, opening the door to that sanctuary; and it is +impossible to describe the sense of relief with which the +Perpetual Curate flung himself down on Mrs Hadwin's +sofa, deranging a quantity of cushions and elaborate +crochet-work draperies without knowing it. Here at least +he was safe from intrusion. But his reflections were far +from being agreeable as he ate his beef-steak. Here he +was, without any fault of his own, plunged into the midst +of a complication of disgrace and vice. Perhaps already +the name of Lucy Wodehouse was branded with her +brother's shame; perhaps still more overwhelming infamy +might overtake, through that means, the heir and the +name of the Wentworths. And for himself, what he had to +do was to attempt with all his powers to defeat justice, and +save from punishment a criminal for whom it was impossible +to feel either sympathy or hope. When he thought of +Jack up-stairs on the sofa over his French novel, the heart +of the Curate burned within him with indignation and +resentment; and his disgust at his other guest was, if less +intense, an equally painful sensation. It was hard to +waste his strength, and perhaps compromise his character, +for such men as these; but on the other hand he saw his +father, with that malady of the Wentworths hanging over +his head, doing his best to live and last, like a courageous +English gentleman as he was, for the sake of "the girls" +and the little children, who had so little to expect from +Jack; and poor stupid Mr Wodehouse dying of the crime +which assailed his own credit as well as his son's safety. +The Curate of St Roque's drew a long breath, and raised +himself up unconsciously to his full height as he rose to go +up-stairs. It was he against the world at the moment, as it +appeared. He set himself to his uncongenial work with a +heart that revolted against the evil cause of which he was +about to constitute himself the champion. But for the +Squire, who had misjudged him—for Lucy who had +received him with such icy smiles, and closed up her heart +against his entrance;—sometimes there is a kind of bitter +sweetness in the thought of spending love and life in one +lavish and prodigal outburst upon those to whom our +hearts are bound, but whose affections make us no return.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXIII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">The</span> Curate went to breakfast next morning with a little +curiosity and a great deal of painful feeling. He had been +inhospitable to his brother, and a revulsion had happened +such as happens invariably when a generous man is forced +by external circumstances to show himself churlish. +Though his good sense and his pride alike prevented him +from changing his resolution of the previous night, still his +heart had relented toward Jack, and he felt sorry and half +ashamed to meet the brother to whom he had shown so +much temper and so little kindness. It was much later than +usual when he came down-stairs, and Jack was just coming +out of the comfortable chamber which belonged of right to +his brother, when the Curate entered the sitting-room. +Jack was in his dressing-gown, as on the previous night, +and came forth humming an air out of the 'Trovatore,' and +looking as wholesomely fresh and clean and dainty as the +most honest gentleman in England. He gave his brother a +good-humoured nod, and wished him good morning. "I am +glad to see you don't keep distressingly early hours," he +said, between the bars of the air he was humming. He was +a man of perfect digestion, like all the Wentworths, and +got up accordingly, in a good temper, not disposed to +make too much of any little incivility that might have +taken place. On the contrary, he helped himself to his +brother's favourite omelet with the most engaging cheerfulness, +and entered into such conversation as might be +supposed to suit a Perpetual Curate in a little country +town.</p> + +<p>"I daresay you have a good many nice people about +here," said Jack. "I've done nothing but walk about since +I came—and it does a man good to see those fresh little +women with their pink cheeks. There's one, a sister of our +friend's, I believe," he continued, with a nod towards the +door to indicate Wodehouse—"an uncommonly pretty +girl, I can tell you; and there's a little rosebud of a +creature at that shop, whom, they tell me, you're interested +in. Your living is not worth much, I suppose? It's unlucky +having two clergymen in a family; but, to be sure, you're +going in for Skelmersdale. By the way, that reminds me—how +are the aunts? I have not heard anything of them for +ages. Female relations of that description generally cling +to the parsons of the race. I suppose they are all living—all +three? Some people never seem to die."</p> + +<p>"They are here," said the Curate, succinctly, "living in +Carlingford. I wonder nobody has told you."</p> + +<p>A sudden bright spark lighted in the prodigal's eyes. +"Ah, they are here, are they?" he said, after a momentary +pause; "so much the better for you; but in justice you +ought to be content with the living. I say so as your elder +brother. Gerald has the best right to what they've got to +leave. By the by, how are Gerald and the rest? you've just +been there. I suppose our respected parent goes on multiplying. +To think of so many odious little wretches calling +themselves Wentworth is enough to make one disgusted +with the name."</p> + +<p>"My father was very ill when I left; he has had another +attack," said the Curate. "He does not seem able to bear +any agitation. Your telegram upset him altogether. I don't +know what you've been about—he did not tell me," +continued the younger brother, with a little emotion, "but +he is very uneasy about you."</p> + +<p>"Ah, I daresay," said Jack; "that's natural; but he's +wonderfully tough for such an old fellow. I should say it +would take twenty attacks to finish him; and this is the +second, isn't it? I wonder how long an interval there was +between the two; it would be a pretty calculation for a +<i>post-obit</i>. Wodehouse seems to have brought his ancestor +down at the first shot almost; but then there's no entail in +his case, and the old fellow may have made a will. I beg +your pardon; you don't like this sort of talk. I forgot you +were a clergyman. I rather like this town of yours, do you +know. Sweet situation, and good for the health, I should +say. I'll take your advice, I think, about the—how did you +call it?—Black Boar. Unless, indeed, some charitable +family would take me in," said the elder brother, with a +glance from under his eyelids. His real meaning did not in +the least degree suggest itself to the Curate, who was +thinking more of what was past than of what was to come.</p> + +<p>"You seem to take a great interest in Wodehouse?" said +Mr Wentworth.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and so do you," said Jack, with a keen glance of +curiosity—"I can't tell why. My interest in him is easily +explained. If the affair came to a trial, it might involve +other people who are of retiring dispositions and dislike +publicity. I don't mind saying," continued the heir of the +Wentworths, laying down his knife and fork, and looking +across at his brother with smiling candour, "that I might +myself be brought before the world in a way which would +wound my modesty; so it must not be permitted to go any +further, you perceive. The partner has got a warrant out, +but has not put it into execution as yet. That's why I sent +for you. You are the only man, so far as I can see, that can +be of any use."</p> + +<p>"I don't know what you mean," said the Curate, +hastily, "nor what connection you can possibly have with +Wodehouse; perhaps it is better not to inquire. I mean to +do my best for him, independent of you."</p> + +<p>"Do," said Jack Wentworth, with a slight yawn; "it is +much better not to inquire. A clergyman runs the risk of +hearing things that may shock him when he enters into +worldly business; but the position of mediator is thoroughly +professional. Now for the Black Boar. I'll send for my +traps when I get settled," he said, rising in his languid +way. He had made a very good breakfast, and he was not +at all disposed to make himself uncomfortable by quarrelling +with his brother. Besides, he had a new idea in his +mind. So he gave the Curate another little good-humoured +nod, and disappeared into the sleeping-room, from which +he emerged a few minutes after with a coat replacing the +dressing-gown, ready to go out. "I daresay I shall see you +again before I leave Carlingford," he said, and left the +room with the utmost suavity. As for Mr Wentworth, it is +probable that his brother's serenity had quite the reverse +of a soothing effect upon his mind and temper. He rose +from the table as soon as Jack was gone, and for a long +time paced about the room composing himself, and planning +what he was to do—so long, indeed, that Sarah, after +coming up softly to inspect, had cleared the table and put +everything straight in the room before the Curate discovered +her presence. It was only when she came up to +him at last, with her little rustical curtsy, to say that, +please, her missis would like to see him for a moment in +the parlour, that Mr Wentworth found out that she was +there. This interruption roused him out of his manifold +and complicated thoughts. "I am too busy just now, but I +will see Mrs Hadwin to-night," he said; "and you can tell +her that my brother has gone to get rooms at the Blue +Boar." After he had thus satisfied the sympathetic handmaiden, +the Curate crossed over to the closed door of +Wodehouse's room and knocked. The inmate there was +still in bed, as was his custom, and answered Mr Wentworth +through his beard in a recumbent voice, less sulky and +more uncertain than on the previous night. Poor +Wodehouse had neither the nerve nor the digestion of his +more splendid associate. He had no strength of evil in +himself when he was out of the way of it; and the consequence +of a restless night was a natural amount of penitence +and shame in the morning. He met the Curate with +a depressed countenance, and answered all his questions +readily enough, even giving him the particulars of the +forged bills, in respect to which Thomas Wodehouse the +younger could not, somehow, feel so guilty as if it had +been a name different from his own which he had affixed +to those fatal bits of paper; and he did not hesitate much to +promise that he would go abroad and try to make a new +beginning if this matter could be settled. Mr Wentworth +went out with some satisfaction after the interview, +believing in his heart that his own remonstrances had had +their due effect, as it is so natural to believe—for he did +not know, having slept very soundly, that it had rained a +good deal during the night, and that Mrs Hadwin's biggest +tub (for the old lady had a passion for rain-water) was +immediately under poor Wodehouse's window, and kept +him awake as it filled and ran over all through the summer +darkness. The recollection of Jack Wentworth, even in his +hour of success, was insufficient to fortify the simple soul +of his humble admirer against that ominous sound of the +unseen rain, and against the flashes of sudden lightning +that seemed to blaze into his heart. He could not help +thinking of his father's sick-bed in those midnight hours, +and of all the melancholy array of lost years which had +made him no longer "a gentleman, as he used to be," but a +skulking vagabond in his native place; and his penitence +lasted till after he had had his breakfast and Mr Wentworth +was gone. Then perhaps the other side of the question +recurred to his mind, and he began to think that if his +father died there might be no need for his banishment; but +Mr Wentworth knew nothing of this change in his <i>protégé's</i> +sentiments, as he went quickly up Grange Lane. Wharfside +and all the district had lain neglected for three long days, +as the Curate was aware, and he had promised to call at +No. 10 Prickett's Lane, and to look after the little orphan +children whom Lucy had taken charge of. His occupations, +in short, both public and private, were overpowering, and +he could not tell how he was to get through them; for, in +addition to everything else, it was Friday, and there was a +litany service at twelve o'clock at St Roque's. So the +young priest had little time to lose as he hurried up once +again to Mr Wodehouse's green door.</p> + +<p>It was Miss Wodehouse who came to meet the Curate as +soon as his presence was known in the house—Miss +Wodehouse, and not Lucy, who made way for her sister to +pass her, and took no notice of Mr Wentworth's name. +The elder sister entered very hurriedly the little parlour +down-stairs, and shut the door fast, and came up to him +with an anxious inquiring face. She told him her father +was just the same, in faltering tones. "And oh, Mr +Wentworth, has anything happened?" she exclaimed, +with endless unspeakable questions in her eyes. It was so +hard for the gentle woman to keep her secret—the very +sight of somebody who knew it was a relief to her heart.</p> + +<p>"I want you to give me full authority to act for you," +said the Curate. "I must go to Mr Wodehouse's partner +and discuss the whole matter."</p> + +<p>Here Miss Wodehouse gave a little cry, and stopped +him suddenly. "Oh, Mr Wentworth, it would kill papa to +know you had spoken to any one. You must send him +away," she said, breathless with anxiety and terror. "To +think of discussing it with any one when even Lucy does +not know—!" She spoke with so much haste and fright that +it was scarcely possible to make out her last words.</p> + +<p>"Nevertheless I must speak to Mr Waters," said the +Curate; "I am going there now. He knows all about it +already, and has a warrant for <i>his</i> apprehension; but we +must stop that. I will undertake that it shall be paid, and +you must give me full authority to act for you." When +Miss Wodehouse met the steady look he gave her, she +veered immediately from her fright at the thought of +having it spoken of, to gratitude to him who was thus +ready to take her burden into his hands.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Wentworth, it is so good of you—it is like a +brother!" said the trembling woman; and then she made a +pause. "I say a brother," she said, drawing an involuntary +moral, "though we have never had any good of ours; and +oh, if Lucy only knew—!"</p> + +<p>The Curate turned away hastily, and wrung her hand +without being aware of it. "No," he said, with a touch of +bitterness, "don't let her know. I don't want to appeal to +her gratitude;" and with that he became silent, and fell to +listening, standing in the middle of the room, if perhaps he +might catch any sound of footsteps coming down-stairs.</p> + +<p>"She will know better some day," said Miss Wodehouse, +wiping her eyes; "and oh, Mr Wentworth, if papa ever +gets better—!" Here the poor lady broke down into inarticulate +weeping. "But I know you will stand by us," she +said, amid her tears; "it is all the comfort I have—and +Lucy—"</p> + +<p>There was no sound of any footstep on the stair—nothing +but the ticking of the timepiece on the mantelshelf, +and the rustling of the curtains in the soft morning breeze +which came through the open window, and Miss +Wodehouse's crying. The Curate had not expected to see +Lucy, and knew in his heart that it was better they should +not meet just at this moment; but, notwithstanding this, it +was strange how bitter and disappointed he felt, and what +an impatient longing he had for one look of her, even +though it should be a look which would drive him frantic +with mortified love and disappointed expectation. To +know that she was under the same roof, and that she knew +he was here, but kept away, and did not care to see him, +was gall to his excited mind. He went away hastily, +pressing poor Miss Wodehouse's hand with a kind of silent +rage. "Don't talk about Lucy," he said, half to himself, his +heart swelling and throbbing at the sound of the name. It +was the first time he had spoken it aloud to any ear but +his own, and he left the house tingling with an indignation +and mortification and bitter fondness which could not be +expressed in words. What he was about to do was for her +sake, and he thought to himself, with a forlorn pride, that +she would never know it, and it did not matter. He could +not tell that Lucy was glancing out furtively over the +blind, ashamed of herself in her wounded heart for doing +so, and wondering whether even now he was occupied +with that unworthy love which had made an everlasting +separation between them. If it had been any one worthy, +it would have been different, poor Lucy thought, as she +pressed back the tears into her eyes, and looked out +wistfully at him over the blind. She above-stairs in the +sick-room, and he in the fresh garden hastening out to his +work, were both thinking in their hearts how perverse life +was, and how hard it was not to be happy—as indeed they +well might in a general way; though perhaps one glance of +the Curate's eyes upward, one meeting of looks, might +have resulted quite reasonably in a more felicitous train of +thinking, at least for that day.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXIV.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">When</span> Mr Wentworth arrived in the little vestry at St +Roque's to robe himself for the approaching service, it was +after a long and tough contest with Mr Wodehouse's +partner, which had to a great extent exhausted his +energies. Mr Wodehouse was the leading attorney in +Carlingford, the chief family solicitor in the county, a man +looked upon with favourable eyes even by the great +people as being himself a cadet of a county family. His +partner, Mr Waters, was altogether a different description +of man. He was much more clever, and a good deal more +like a gentleman, but he had not a connection in the +world, and had fought his way up to prosperity through +many a narrow, and perhaps, if people spoke true, many a +dirty avenue to fortune. He was very glad of the chance +which brought his partner's reputation and credit thus +under his power, and he was by no means disposed to deal +gently with the prodigal son. That is to say, he was quite +disinclined to let the family out of his clutches easily, or to +consent to be silent and "frustrate the ends of justice" for +anything else than an important equivalent. Mr Wentworth +had much ado to restrain his temper while the wily attorney +talked about his conscience; for the Curate was clear-sighted +enough to perceive at the first glance that Mr +Waters had no real intention of proceeding to extremities. +The lawyer would not pledge himself to anything, notwithstanding +all Mr Wentworth's arguments. "Wodehouse +himself was of the opinion that the law should take its +course," he said; but out of respect for his partner he +might wait a few days to see what turn his illness would +take. "I confess that I am not adapted for my profession, +Mr Wentworth. My feelings overcome me a great deal too +often," said the sharp man of business, looking full into +the Curate's eyes, "and while the father is dying I have +not the heart to proceed against the son; but I pledge +myself to nothing—recollect, to nothing." And with this +and a very indignant mind Mr Wentworth had been +forced to come away. His thoughts were occupied with the +contrarieties of the world as he hastened along to St +Roque's—how one man had to bear another's burdens in +every station and capacity of life, and how another man +triumphed and came to success by means of the misfortunes +of his friends. It was hard to tell what made the +difference, or how humankind got divided into these two +great classes, for possibly enough the sharp attorney was +as just in his way as the Curate; but Mr Wentworth got no +more satisfaction in thinking of it than the speculatists +generally have when they investigate this strange, wayward, +fantastical humanity which is never to be calculated +upon. He came into the little vestry of St Roque's, which +was a stony little room with a groined roof and windows +too severely English in their character to admit any great +amount of light, with a sensation of fatigue and discouragement +very natural to a man who had been interfering in +other people's affairs. There was some comfort in the +litany which he was just going to say, but not much +comfort in any of the human individuals who would come +into Mr Wentworth's mind as he paused in the midst of the +suffrage for "sick persons" and for those who "had erred +and were deceived," that the worshippers might whisper +into God's ear the names for which their hearts were most +concerned. The young priest sighed heavily as he put on +his surplice, pondering all the obstinate selfishness and +strange contradictions of men; and it was only when he +heard a rather loud echo to his breath of weariness that he +looked up and saw Elsworthy, who was contemplating him +with a very curious expression of face. The clerk started a +little on being discovered, and began to look over all the +choristers' books and set them in readiness, though, +indeed, there were no choristers on Fridays, but only the +ladies, who chanted the responses a great deal more +sweetly, and wore no surplices. Thinking of that, it +occurred to Mr Wentworth how much he would miss the +round full notes which always betrayed Lucy's presence to +him even when he did not see her; and he forgot +Elsworthy, and sighed again without thinking of any +comment which might be made upon the sound.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry to see, sir, as you aint in your usual good +spirits?" said that observant spectator, coming closer up to +"his clergyman." Elsworthy's eyes were full of meanings +which Mr Wentworth could not, and had no wish to, +decipher.</p> + +<p>"I am perfectly well, thank you," said the Perpetual +Curate, with his coldest tone. He had become suspicious +of the man, he could scarcely tell why.</p> + +<p>"There's a deal of people in church this morning," said +the clerk; and then he came closer still, and spoke in a +kind of whisper. "About that little matter as we was +speaking of, Mr Wentworth—that's all straight, sir, and +there aint no occasion to be vexed. She came back this +morning," said Elsworthy, under his breath.</p> + +<p>"Who came back this morning?" asked the Curate, with +a little surprise. His thoughts had been so much with Lucy +that no one else occurred to him at the moment; and even +while he asked the question, his busy fancy began to +wonder where she could have been, and what motive +could have taken her away?</p> + +<p>"I couldn't mean nobody but Rosa, as I talked to you +about last night," said Elsworthy. "She's come back, sir, +as you wished; and I <i>have</i> heard as she was in Carlingford +last night just afore you come, Mr Wentworth, when I +thought as she was far enough off; which you'll allow, sir, +whoever it was she come to see, it wasn't the right thing, +nor what her aunt and me had reason to expect."</p> + +<p>The Curate of St Roque's said "Pshaw!" carelessly to +himself. He was not at all interested in Rosa Elsworthy. +Instead of making any answer, he drew on the scarlet +band of his hood, and marched away gravely into the +reading-desk, leaving the vestry-door open behind him for +the clerk to follow. The little dangers that harassed his +personal footsteps had not yet awakened so much as an +anxiety in his mind. Things much more serious preoccupied +his thoughts. He opened his prayer-book with a consciousness +of the good of it which comes to men only now and +then. At Oxford, in his day, Mr Wentworth had entertained +his doubts like others, and like most people was aware that +there were a great many things in heaven and earth totally +unexplainable by any philosophy. But he had always been +more of a man than a thinker, even before he became a +high Anglican; and being still much in earnest about most +things he had to do with, he found great comfort just at +this moment, amid all his perplexities, in the litany he was +saying. He was so absorbed in it, and so full of that appeal +out of all troubles and miseries to the God who cannot be +indifferent to His creatures, that he was almost at the last +Amen before he distinguished that voice, which of all +voices was most dear to him. The heart of the young man +swelled, when he heard it, with a mingled thrill of sympathy +and wounded feeling. She had not left her father's +sick-bed to see <i>him</i>, but she <i>had</i> found time to run down +the sunny road to St Roque's to pray for the sick and the +poor. When he knelt down in the reading-desk at the end +of the service, was it wrong, instead of more abstract +supplications, that the young priest said over and over, +"God bless her," in an outburst of pity and tenderness? +And he did not try to overtake her on the road, as he +might have done had his heart been less deeply touched, +but went off with abstracted looks to Wharfside, where all +the poor people were very glad to see him, and where his +absence was spoken of as if he had been three months +instead of three days away. It was like going back a +century or two into primitive life, to go into "the district," +where civilisation did not prevail to any very distressing +extent, and where people in general spoke their minds +freely. But even when he came out of No. 10, where the +poor woman still kept on living, Mr Wentworth was made +aware of his private troubles; for on the opposite side of +the way, where there was a little bit of vacant ground, the +Rector was standing with some of the schismatics of +Wharfside, planning how to place the iron church which, it +was said, he meant to establish in the very heart of the +"district." Mr Morgan took off his hat very stiffly to the +Perpetual Curate, who returned up Prickett's Lane with a +heightened colour and quickened pulse. A man must be an +angel indeed who can see his work taken out of his hands +and betray no human emotion. Mr Wentworth went into +Elsworthy's, as he went back, to write a forcible little note +to the Rector on the subject before he returned home. It +was Rosa who handed him the paper he wanted, and he +gave her a little nod without looking at her. But when he +had closed his note, and laid it on the counter to be +delivered, the Curate found her still standing near, and +looked at the little blushing creature with some natural +admiration. "So you have come back," he said; "but mind +you don't go into Grange Lane any more after dark, little +Rosa." When he had left the shop and finished this little +matter, he bethought himself of his aunts, whom he had +not seen since he returned. Aunt Dora was not at her usual +sentinel window when he crossed Grange Lane towards +their garden-door; and the door itself was open, and some +one from the Blue Boar was carrying in a large portmanteau. +Mr Wentworth's curiosity was strangely excited +by the sight. He said, "Who has come, Lewis?" to Miss +Wentworth's man, who stood in the hall superintending +the arrival, but ran up-stairs without waiting for any +answer. He felt by instinct that the visitor was some one +likely to increase the confusion of affairs, and perplex +matters more and more to himself.</p> + +<p>But even this presentiment did not prepare him for the +astonishing sight which met his eyes when he entered the +drawing-room. There the three ladies were all assembled, +regarding with different developments of interest the new-comer, +who had thrown himself, half-reclining, on a sofa. +Aunt Dora was sitting by him with a bottle of eau-de-Cologne +in her hand, for this meeting had evidently gone +to the heart of the returned prodigal. Aunt Dora was +ready to have sacrificed all the veal in the country in +honour of Jack's repentance; and the Curate stood outside +upon the threshold, looking at the scene with the strangest +half-angry, half-comical realisation of the state of mind of +the elder brother in the parable. He had himself been +rather found fault with, excused, and tolerated, among his +relations; but Jack had at once become master of the +position, and taken possession of all their sympathies. Mr +Wentworth stood gazing at them, half-amused, and yet +more angry than amused—feeling, with a little indignation, +as was natural, that the pretended penitence of the clever +sinner was far more effective and interesting than his own +spotless loyalty and truth. To be sure, they were only +three old ladies—three old aunts—and he smiled at the +sight; but though he smiled, he did not like it, and perhaps +was more abrupt than usual in his salutations. Miss +Leonora was seated at her writing-table, busy with her +correspondence. The question of the new gin-palace was +not yet decided, and she had been in the middle of a letter +of encouragement to her agents on the subject, reminding +them that, even though the licence was granted, the world +would still go on all the same, and that the worst possibilities +must be encountered, when Jack the prodigal +made his appearance, with all the tokens of reformation +and repentance about him, to throw himself upon the +Christian charity of his relations. A penitent sinner was +too tempting a bait for even Miss Leonora's good sense to +withstand, and she had postponed her letter-writing to +hear his explanations. But Jack had told his story by this +time, and had explained how much he wanted to withdraw +out of the world in which he had been led astray, and how +sick he was of all its whirl of temptations and disappointment; +and Miss Leonora had returned to her letter when +her younger nephew arrived. As for Miss Wentworth, she +was seated placidly in her usual easy-chair, smiling with +equable smiles upon both the young men, and lifting her +beautiful old cheek for Frank to kiss, just as she had lifted +it to Jack. It was Miss Dora who was most shaken out of +her allegiance; she who had always made Frank her +special charge. Though she had wept herself into a day's +headache on his behalf so short a time ago, aunt Dora for a +moment had allowed the more effusive prodigal to supersede +Frank. Instead of taking him into her arms as usual, +and clinging to him, she only put the hand that held the +eau-de-Cologne over his shoulder as she kissed him. Jack, +who had been so dreadfully, inexpressibly wicked, and +who had come back to his aunts to be converted and +restored to his right mind, was more interesting than many +curates. She sat down again by her penitent as soon as she +had saluted his brother; and even Miss Leonora, when she +paused in her letter, turned her eyes towards Jack.</p> + +<p>"So Gerald is actually going over to Rome," said the +strong-minded aunt. "I never expected anything else. I +had a letter from Louisa yesterday, asking me to use my +influence: as if I had any influence over your brother! If a +silly wife was any justification for a man making an idiot of +himself, Gerald might be excused; but I suppose the next +thing we shall hear of will be that you have followed him, +Frank. Did you hear anything further about Janet and +that lover of hers? In a large family like ours there is +always something troublesome going on," said Miss +Leonora. "I am not surprised to hear of your father's +attack. <i>My</i> father had a great many attacks, and lived to +eighty; but he had few difficulties with the female part of +his household," she continued, with a grim little smile—for +Miss Leonora rather piqued herself upon her exemption +from any known sentimental episode, even in her youth.</p> + +<p>"Dear Jack's return will make up for a great deal," said +aunt Dora. "Oh, Frank, my dear, your brother has made +us all so happy. He has just been telling us that he means +to give up all his racing and betting and wickedness; and +when he has been with us a little, and learned to appreciate +a domestic circle—" said poor Miss Dora, putting her +handkerchief to her eyes. She was so much overcome that +she could not finish the sentence. But she put her disengaged +hand upon Jack's arm and patted it, and in her +heart concluded that as soon as the blanket was done for +Louisa's bassinet, she would work him a pair of slippers, +which should endear more and more to him the domestic +circle, and stimulate the new-born virtue in his repentant +heart.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what Jack's return may do," said Mr +Wentworth, "but I hope you don't imagine it was Gerald +who caused my father's illness. <i>You</i> know better, at least," +said the indignant Curate, looking at the hero on the sofa. +That interesting reprobate lifted his eyes with a covert +gleam of humour to the unresponsive countenance of his +brother, and then he stroked his silky beard and sighed.</p> + +<p>"My dear aunt, Frank is right," said Jack, with a +melancholy voice. "I have not concealed from you that +my father has great reason to be offended with me. I have +done very much the reverse of what I ought to have done. +I see even Frank can't forgive me; and I don't wonder at +it," said the prodigal, "though I have done him no harm +that I know of;" and again the heir of the Wentworths +sighed, and covered his face for a moment with his hand.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank," cried Miss Dora, with streaming eyes—"oh, +my dear boy!—isn't there joy in heaven over one +sinner that repenteth? You're not going to be the wicked +elder brother that grudged the prodigal his welcome—you're +not going to give way to jealousy, Frank?"</p> + +<p>"Hold your tongue, Dora," said the iron-grey sister; "I +daresay Frank knows a great deal better than you do; but +I want to know about Gerald, and what is to be done. If he +goes to Rome, of course you will take Wentworth Rectory; +so it will not be an unmingled evil," said Miss Leonora, +biting her pen, and throwing a keen glance at the Curate +of St Roque's, "especially as you and we differ so entirely +in our views. I could not consent to appoint anybody to +Skelmersdale, even if poor Mr Shirley were to die, who +did not preach the Gospel; and it would be sad for you to +spend all your life in a Perpetual Curacy, where you could +have no income, nor ever hope to be able to marry," she +continued steadily, with her eyes fixed upon her nephew. +"Of course, if you had entered the Church for the love of +the work, it would be a different matter," said the strong-minded +aunt. "But that sort of thing seems to have gone +out of fashion. I am sorry about Gerald—very sorry; but +after what I saw of him, I am not surprised; and it is a +comfort to one's mind to think that you will be provided +for, Frank." Miss Leonora wrote a few words of the letter +as she finished this speech. What she was saying in that +epistle was (in reference to the gin-palace) that all discouragements +were sent by God, and that, no doubt, His +meaning was, that we should work all the harder to make +way against them. After putting down which encouraging +sentiment, she raised her eyes again, and planted her +spear in her nephew's bosom with the greatest composure +in the world.</p> + +<p>"My Perpetual Curacy suits me very well," said Mr +Wentworth, with a little pride; "and there is a good deal to +do in Carlingford. However, I did not come here to talk +about that. The Rector is going to put up an iron church in +my district," said the young man, who was rather glad of a +subject which permitted a little of his indignation to escape. +"It is very easy to interfere with other people's work." +And then he paused, not choosing to grumble to an +unsympathetic audience. To feel that nobody cares about +your feelings, is better than all the rules of self-control. +The Perpetual Curate stopped instinctively with a dignified +restraint, which would have been impossible to him under +other circumstances. It was no merit of his, but he reaped +the advantage of it all the same.</p> + +<p>"But oh, my dear," said Miss Dora, "what a comfort to +think of what St Paul says—'Whether it be for the right +motive or not, Christ is still preached.' And one never +knows what chance word may touch a heart," said the +poor little woman, shaking her limp curls away from her +cheeks. "It was you being offended with him that made +dear Jack think of coming to us; and what a happiness it is +to think that he sees the error of his ways!" cried poor Miss +Dora, drying her tears. "And oh, Frank, my dear boy, I +trust you will take warning by your brother, and not run +into temptation," continued the anxious aunt, remembering +all her troubles. "If you were to go wrong, it would take +away all the pleasure of life."</p> + +<p>"That is just what I was thinking," said aunt Cecilia +from her easy-chair.</p> + +<p>"For, oh, Frank, my dear," said Miss Dora, much +emboldened by this support, "you must consider that you +are a clergyman, and there are a great many things that are +wrong in a clergyman that would not matter in another +man. Oh, Leonora, if you would speak to him, he would +mind you," cried the poor lady; "for you know a clergyman +is quite different;" and Miss Dora again stopped short, +and the three aunts looked at the bewildered Curate, who, +for his part, sat gazing at them without an idea what they +could mean.</p> + +<p>"What have I been doing that would be right in another +man?" he said, with a smile which was slightly forced; and +then he turned to Jack, who was laughing softly under his +breath, and stroking his silky beard. The elder brother +was highly amused by the situation altogether, but Frank, +as was natural, did not see it in the same light. "What +have you been saying?" said the indignant Curate; and his +eyes gave forth a sudden light which frightened Miss +Dora, and brought her in to the rescue.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank, he has not been saying anything," cried +that troubled woman; "it is only what we have heard +everywhere. Oh, my dear boy, it is only for your good I +ever thought of speaking. There is nobody in the world to +whom your welfare is so precious," said poor Miss Dora. +"Oh, Frank, if you and your brother were to have any +difference, I should think it all my fault—and I always +said you did not mean anything," she said, putting herself +and her eau-de-Cologne between the two, and looking as +if she were about to throw herself into the Curate's arms. +"Oh, Frank, dear, don't blame any one else—it is my +fault!" cried aunt Dora, with tears; and the tender-hearted +foolish creature kept between them, ready to rush in if +any conflict should occur, which was a supposition much +resented by the Curate of St Roque's.</p> + +<p>"Jack and I have no intention of fighting, I daresay," he +said, drawing his chair away with some impatience; and +Jack lay back on the sofa and stroked his beard, and +looked on with the greatest composure while poor Miss +Dora exhausted her alarm. "It is all my fault," sobbed +aunt Dora; "but, oh, my dear boy, it was only for your +good; and I always said you did not mean anything," said +the discomfited peacemaker. All this, though it was highly +amusing to the prodigal, was gall and bitterness to the +Perpetual Curate. It moved him far more deeply than he +could have imagined it possible for anything spoken by his +aunt Dora to move him. Perhaps there is something in +human nature which demands to be comprehended, even +where it is aware that comprehension is impossible; and it +wounded him in the most unreasonable way to have it +supposed that he was likely to get into any quarrel with his +brother, and to see Jack thus preferred to himself.</p> + +<p>"Don't be a fool," said Miss Leonora, sharply: "I wish +you would confine yourself to Louisa's bassinet, and talk of +things you can understand. I hope Frank knows what he is +doing better than a set of old women. At the same time, +Frank," said Miss Leonora, rising and leading the way to +the door, "I want to say a word to you. Don't think you +are above misconception. Most people believe a lie more +readily than the truth. Dora is a fool," said the elder +sister, pausing, when she had led her nephew outside the +drawing-room door, "but so are most people; and I advise +you to be careful, and not to give occasion for any gossip; +otherwise, I don't say <i>I</i> disapprove of your conduct." She +had her pen in one hand, and held out the other to him, +dismissing him; and even this added to the painful feeling +in the Curate's heart.</p> + +<p>"I should hope not," he said, somewhat stiffly; "good-bye—my +conduct is not likely to be affected by any gossip, +and I don't see any need for taking precautions against +imaginary danger." Miss Leonora thought her nephew +looked very ungracious as he went away. She said to +herself that Frank had a great deal of temper, and resembled +his mother's family more than the Wentworths, as +she went back to her writing-table; and though she could +not disapprove of him, she felt vexed somehow at his +rectitude and his impatience of advice; whereas, Jack, +poor fellow! who had been a great sinner, was, according +to all appearance, a great penitent also, and a true +Wentworth, with all the family features. Such were Miss +Leonora's thoughts as she went back to finish her letters, +and to encourage her agents in her London district to carry +on the good work.</p> + +<p>"God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform," +she wrote apropos of the gin-palace, and set very +distinctly before her spiritual retainers all that Providence +might intend by this unexpected hindrance; and so quite +contented herself about her nephew, whose views on this +and many other subjects were so different from her own.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Mr Wentworth went about the rest of the +day's work in a not unusual, but far from pleasant, frame +of mind. When one suddenly feels that the sympathy upon +which one calculated most surely has been withdrawn, the +shock is naturally considerable. It might not be anything +very great while it lasted, but still one feels the difference +when it is taken away. Lucy had fallen off from him; and +even aunt Dora had ceased to feel his concerns the first in the +world. He smiled at himself for the wound he felt; but that +did not remove the sting of it. After the occupations of the +day were over, when at last he was going home, and when +his work and the sense of fatigue which accompanied it +had dulled his mind a little, the Curate felt himself still +dwelling on the same matter, contemplating it in a half-comic +point of view, as proud men are not unapt to +contemplate anything that mortifies them. He began to +realise, in a humorous way, his own sensations as he stood +at the drawing-room door and recognised the prodigal on +the sofa; and then a smile dawned upon his lip as he +thought once more of the prodigal's elder brother, who +regarded that business with unsympathetic eyes and +grudged the supper. And from that he went into a half-professional +line of thought, and imagined to himself, half +smiling, how, if he had been Dr Cumming or the minister +of Salem Chapel, he might have written a series of sermons +on the unappreciated characters of Scripture, beginning +with that virtuous uninteresting elder brother; from which +suggestion, though he was not the minister of Salem nor +Dr Cumming, it occurred to the Perpetual Curate to +follow out the idea, and to think of such generous careless +souls as Esau, and such noble unfortunates as the peasant-king, +the mournful magnificent Saul—people not generally +approved of, or enrolled among the martyrs or saints. He +was pursuing this kind of half-reverie, half-thought, when +he reached his own house. It was again late and dark, for +he had dined in the mean time, and was going home now +to write his sermon, in which, no doubt, some of these +very ideas were destined to reappear. He opened the +garden-gate with his latch-key, and paused, with an +involuntary sense of the beauty and freshness of the night, +as soon as he got within the sheltering walls. The stars +were shining faint and sweet in the summer blue, and all +the shrubs and the grass breathing forth that subdued +breath of fragrance and conscious invisible life which gives +so much sweetness to the night. He thought he heard +whispering voices, as he paused glancing up at the sky; +and then from the side-walk he saw a little figure run, and +heard a light little footstep fluttering towards the door +which he had just closed. Mr Wentworth started and went +after this little flying figure with some anxiety. Two or +three of his long strides brought him up with the escaping +visitor, as she fumbled in her agitation over the handle of +the door. "You have come again, notwithstanding what I +said to you? but you must not repeat it, Rosa," said the +Curate; "no good can come of these meetings. I will tell +your uncle, if I ever find you here again."</p> + +<p>"Oh no, no, please don't," cried the girl; "but, after all, +I don't mind," she said, with more confidence: "he would +think it was something very different;" and Rosa raised +her eyes to the Curate's face with a coquettish inquiry. +She could not divest herself of the thought that Mr +Wentworth was jealous, and did not like to have her come +there for anybody but himself.</p> + +<p>"If you were not such a child, I should be very angry," +said the Curate; "as it is, I <i>am</i> very angry with the person +who deludes you into coming. Go home, child," he said, +opening the door to her, "and remember I will not allow +you on any pretext to come here again."</p> + +<p>His words were low, and perhaps Rosa did not care +much to listen; but there was quite light enough to show +them both very plainly, as he stood at the door and she +went out. Just then the Miss Hemmings were going up +Grange Lane from a little tea-party with their favourite +maid, and all their eyes about them. They looked very full +in Mr Wentworth's face, and said How d'ye do? as they +passed the door; and when they had passed it, they looked +at each other with eyes which spoke volumes. Mr +Wentworth shut the door violently with irrepressible +vexation and annoyance when he encountered that glance. +He made no farewells, nor did he think of taking care of +Rosa on the way home as he had done before. He was +intensely annoyed and vexed, he could not tell how. And +this was how it happened that the last time she was seen in +Carlingford, Rosa Elsworthy was left standing by herself +in the dark at Mr Wentworth's door.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV"></a>CHAPTER XXV.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">The</span> Curate got up very early next morning. He had his +sermon to write and it was Saturday, and all the events of +the week had naturally enough unsettled his mind, and +indisposed him for sermon-writing. When the events of +life come fast upon a man, it is seldom that he finds much +pleasure in abstract literary composition, and the style of +the Curate of St Roque's was not of that hortatory and +impassioned character which sometimes gives as much +relief to the speaker as excitement to the audience. So he +got up in the early sweetness of the summer morning, +when nobody but himself was astir in the house, with the +sense of entering upon a task, and taking up work which +was far from agreeable to him. When he came into the little +room which he used as a study, and threw the window +open, and breathed the delicious air of the morning, which +was all thrilling and trembling with the songs of birds, Mr +Wentworth's thoughts were far from being concentrated +upon any one subject. He sat down at his writing-table and +arranged his pens and paper, and wrote down the text he +had selected; and when he had done so much, and could +feel that he had made a beginning, he leaned back in his +chair, and poised the idle pen on his finger, and abandoned +himself to his thoughts. He had so much to think about. +There was Wodehouse under the same roof, with whom +he had felt himself constrained to remonstrate very sharply +on the previous night. There was Jack, so near, and +certainly come to Carlingford on no good errand. There +was Gerald, in his great perplexity and distress, and the +household at home in their anxiety; and last, but worst of +all, his fancy would go fluttering about the doors of the +sick chamber in Grange Lane, longing and wondering. He +asked himself what it could be which had raised that +impalpable wall between Lucy and himself—that barrier +too strong to be overthrown, too ethereal to be complained +of; and wondered over and over again what her thoughts +were towards him—whether she thought of him at all, +whether she was offended, or simply indifferent?—a +question which any one else who had observed Lucy as +closely could have solved without any difficulty, but which, +to the modest and true love of the Perpetual Curate, was at +present the grand doubt of all the doubts in the universe. +With this matter to settle, and with the consciousness that it +was still only five o'clock, and that he was at least one hour +beforehand with the world, it is easy to understand why Mr +Wentworth mused and loitered over his work, and how, +when it was nearly six o'clock, and Sarah and the cook were +beginning to stir from their sleep, there still remained only +the text written upon the sermon-paper, which was so nicely +arranged before him on the table. "When the wicked man +turneth away from the evil of his ways, and doeth that which +is lawful and right."—This was the text; but sitting at the +open window, looking out into the garden, where the birds, +exempt, as they seemed to think, for once from the vulgar +scrutiny of man, were singing at the pitch of all their voices as +they prepared for breakfast; and where the sweet air of the +morning breathed into his mind a freshness and hopefulness +which youth can never resist, and seduced his thoughts away +from all the harder problems of his life to dwell upon the +sweeter trouble of that doubt about Lucy,—was not the best +means of getting on with his work. He sat thus leaning back—sometimes +dipping his pen in the ink, and hovering over +the paper for two or three seconds at a time, sometimes +reading over the words, and making a faint effort to recall +his own attention to them; for, on the whole, perhaps, it is +not of much use getting up very early in the morning when +the chief consequence of it is, that a man feels he has an hour +to spare, and a little time to play before he begins.</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth was still lingering in this peaceful pause, +when he heard, in the stillness, hasty steps coming down +Grange Lane. No doubt it was some workmen going to their +work, and he felt it must be nearly six o'clock, and dipped +his pen once more in the ink; but, the next moment, paused +again to listen, feeling in his heart a strange conviction that +the steps would stop at his door, and that something was +going to happen. He was sure of it, and yet somehow the +sound tingled upon his heart when he heard the bell ring, +waking up echoes in the silent house. Cook and Sarah had +not yet given any signs of coming down-stairs, and nobody +stirred even at the sound of the bell. Mr Wentworth put +down his pen altogether, and listened with an anxiety which +he could scarcely account for—knowing, as he said to +himself, that it must be the milk, or the baker, or somebody. +But neither the milk nor the baker would have dared to +knock, and shake, and kick the door as the new arrivals +were doing. Mr Wentworth sat still as long as he could, then +he added to the din they were making outside by an +indignant ring of his own bell; and finally getting anxious, as +was natural, and bethinking himself of his father's attack +and Mr Wodehouse's illness, the Curate took the matter into +his own hands, and hastened down-stairs to open the door. +Mrs Hadwin called to him as he passed her room, thinking it +was Sarah, and begging for goodness gracious sake to know +directly what was the matter; and he felt himself growing +agitated as he drew back the complicated bolts, and turned +the key in the door, which was elaborately defenced, as was +natural. When he hurried out into the garden, the songs of +the birds and the morning air seemed to have changed their +character. He thought he was about to be summoned to the +deathbed of one or other of the old men upon whom their +sons had brought such misery. He was but little acquainted +with the fastenings of the garden-door, and fumbled a little +over them in his anxiety. "Wait a moment and you shall be +admitted," he called out to those outside, who still continued +to knock; and he fancied, even in the haste and confusion of +the moment, that his voice caused some little commotion +among them. Mr Wentworth opened the door, looking +anxiously out for some boy with a telegram, or other such +mournful messenger; but to his utter amazement was nearly +knocked down by the sudden plunge of Elsworthy, who +entered with a spring like that of a wild animal, and whose +face looked white and haggard as he rushed in. He came +against the Curate so roughly as to drive him a step or two +farther into the garden, and naturally aroused somewhat +sharply the temper of the young man, who had already +begun to regard him with disagreeable sensations as a kind +of spy against himself.</p> + +<p>"What in the world do you want at such an early hour in +the morning?" cried Mr Wentworth—"and what do you +mean by making such a noise? Is Mr Wodehouse worse? or +what has happened?" for, to tell the truth, he was a little +relieved to find that the two people outside both belonged to +Carlingford, and that nowhere was there any visible apparition +of a telegraph boy.</p> + +<p>"Don't trifle with me, Mr Wentworth," said Elsworthy. +"I'm a poor man; but a worm as is trodden on turns. I want +my child, sir!—give me my child. I'll find her out if it was at +the end of the world. I've only brought down my neighbour +with me as I can trust," he continued, hoarsely—"to save +both your characters. I don't want to make no talk; if you do +what is right by Rosa, neither me or him will ever say a +word. I want Rosa, Mr Wentworth. Where's Rosa? If I had +known as it was for this you wanted her home! But I'll take +my oath not to make no talk," cried the clerk, with passion +and earnestness, which confounded Mr Wentworth—"if +you'll promise to do what's right by her, and let me take her +home."</p> + +<p>"Elsworthy, are you mad?" cried the Curate—"is he out +of his senses? Has anything happened to Rosa? For heaven's +sake, Hayles, don't stand there like a man of wood, but tell +me if the man's crazy, or what he means."</p> + +<p>"I'll come in, sir, if you've no objection, and shut the +door, not to make a talk," said Elsworthy's companion, +Peter Hayles, the druggist. "If it can be managed without +any gossip, it'll be best for all parties," said this worthy, +shutting the door softly after him. "The thing is, where's +Rosa, Mr Wentworth? I can't think as you've got her here."</p> + +<p>"She's all the same as my own child!" cried Elsworthy, +who was greatly excited. "I've had her and loved her since +she was a baby. I don't mean to say as I'd put myself +forward to hurt her prospects if she was married in a superior +line o' life; but them as harms Rosa has me to reckon with," +he said, with a kind of fury which sat strangely on the man. +"Mr Wentworth, where's the child? God forgive you both, +you've given me a night o' weeping; but if you'll do what's +right by Rosa, and send her home in the mean time—"</p> + +<p>"Be silent, sir!" cried the Curate. "I know nothing in the +world about Rosa. How dare you venture to come on such +an errand to me? I don't understand how it is," said the +young man, growing red and angry, "that you try so persistently +to connect this child with me. I have never had +anything to do with her, and I will not submit to any such +impertinent suspicion. Leave my house, sir, immediately, +and don't insult me by making such inquiries here."</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth was very angry in the first flush of his +wrath. He did not think what misery was involved in the +question which had been addressed to him, nor did he see +for the moment the terrible calamity to Rosa which was +suggested by this search for her. He thought only of +himself, as was natural, at the first shock—of the injurious +and insulting suspicion with which he seemed to be +pursued, and of the annoyance which she and her friends +were causing him. "What do you mean by rousing a whole +household at this hour in the morning?" cried Mr +Wentworth, as he saw with vexation, Sarah, very startled +and sleepy, come stealing round by the kitchen door.</p> + +<p>"You don't look as if you had wanted any rousing," said +Elsworthy, who was too much in earnest to own the +Curate's authority. "She was seen at your door the last +thing last night, and you're in your clothes, as bright as +day, and a-waiting for us afore six o'clock in the morning. +Do you think as I've shut my eyes because it's my clergyman?" +cried the injured man, passionately. "I want my +little girl—my little Rosa—as is flesh of my flesh and bone +of my bone. If Mr Wentworth didn't know nothing about it, +as he says," cried Elsworthy, with sudden insight, "he has +a feelin' heart, and he'd be grieved about the child; but he +aint grieved, nor concerned, nor nothing in the world but +angry; and will you tell me there aint nothing to be drawn +from that? But it's far from my intention to raise a talk," +said the clerk, drawing closer and touching the arm of the +Perpetual Curate; "let her come back, and if you're a man +of your word, and behave honourable by her, there shan't +be nothing said in Carlingford. I'll stand up for you, sir, +against the world."</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth shook off his assailant's hand with a +mingled sense of exasperation and sympathy. "I tell you, +upon my honour, I know nothing about her," he said. +"But it is true enough I have been thinking only of +myself," he continued, addressing the other. "How about +the girl? When was she lost? and can't you think of any +place she can have gone to? Elsworthy, hear reason," +cried the Curate anxiously. "I assure you, on my word, +that I have never seen her since I closed this garden-gate +upon her last night."</p> + +<p>"And I would ask you, sir, what had Rosa to do at your +garden-gate?" cried the clerk of St Roque's. "He aint +denying it, Hayles; you can see as he aint a-denying of it. +What was it as she came here for but you? Mr Wentworth, +I've always had a great respect for you," said Elsworthy. +"I've respected you as my clergyman, sir, as well as for +other things; but you're a young man, and human nature +is frail. I say again as you needn't have no fear of me. I +aint one as likes to make a talk, and no more is Hayles. +Give up the girl, and give me your promise, and there aint +a man living as will be the wiser; Mr Wentworth—"</p> + +<p>"Hold your tongue, sir!" cried the Curate, furious with +indignation and resentment. "Leave this place instantly! +If you don't want me to pitch you into the middle of the +road, hold your tongue and go away. The man is mad!" +said Mr Wentworth, turning towards the spectator, Hayles, +and pausing to take breath. But it was evident that this +third person was by no means on the Curate's side.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, sir, I'm sure," said Hayles, with a blank +countenance. "It appears to me, sir, as it's an awkward +business for all parties. Here's the girl gone, and no one +knows where. When a girl don't come back to her own +'ome all night, things look serious, sir; and it has been said +as the last place she was seen was at your door."</p> + +<p>"Who says so?" cried Mr Wentworth.</p> + +<p>"Well—it was—a party, sir—a highly respectable party—as +I have good reason to believe," said Hayles, "being a +constant customer—one as there's every confidence to be +put in. It's better not to name no names, being at this +period of the affair."</p> + +<p>And at that moment, unluckily for Mr Wentworth, +there suddenly floated across his mind the clearest recollection +of the Miss Hemmings, and the look they gave him +in passing. He felt a hot flush rush over his face as he +recalled it. They, then, were his accusers in the first place; +and for the first time he began to realise how the tide of +accusation would surge through Carlingford, and how +circumstances would be patched together, and very plausible +evidence concocted out of the few facts which were +capable of an inference totally opposed to the truth. The +blood rushed to his face in an overpowering glow, and +then he felt the warm tide going back upon his heart, and +realised the position in which he stood for the first time in +its true light.</p> + +<p>"And if you'll let me say it, sir," said the judicious +Hayles, "though a man may be in a bit of a passion, and +speak more strong that is called for, it aint unnatural in the +circumstances; things may be better than they appear," +said the druggist, mildly; "I don't say nothing against that; +it may be as you've took her away, sir (if so be as you have +took her away), for to give her a bit of education, or +suchlike, before making her your wife; but folks in general +aint expected to know that; and when a young girl is kep' +out of her 'ome for a whole night, it aint wonderful if her +friends take fright. It's a sad thing for Rosa whoever's +taken her away, and wherever she is."</p> + +<p>Now, Mr Wentworth, notwithstanding the indignant +state of mind which he was in, was emphatically of the +tolerant temper which is so curiously characteristic of his +generation. He could not be unreasonable even in his own +cause; he was not partisan enough, even in his own behalf, +to forget that there was another side to the question, nor to +see how hard and how sad was that other side. He was +moved in spite of himself to grieve over Rosa Elsworthy's +great misfortune.</p> + +<p>"Poor little deluded child," he said, sadly; "I acknowledge +it is very dreadful for her and for her friends. I can +excuse a man who is mad with grief and wretchedness and +anxiety, and doesn't know what he is saying. As for any +man in his senses imagining," said the Curate again, with +a flush of sudden colour, "that I could possibly be concerned +in anything so base, that is simply absurd. When +Elsworthy returns to reason, and acknowledges the folly +of what he has said, I will do anything in the world to +help him. It is unnecessary for you to wait," said Mr +Wentworth, turning to Sarah, who had stolen up behind, +and caught some of the conversation, and who was staring +with round eyes of wonder, partly guessing, partly +inquiring, what had happened—"these people want me; +go indoors and never mind."</p> + +<p>"La, sir! Missis is a-ringing all the bells down to know +what 'as 'appened," said Sarah, holding her ground.</p> + +<p>This was how it was to be—the name of the Curate of St +Roque's was to be linked to that of Rosa Elsworthy, let the +truth be what it might, in the mouths of every maid and +every mistress in Carlingford. He was seized with a +sudden apprehension of this aspect of the matter, and it +was not wonderful if Mr Wentworth drew his breath hard +and set his teeth, as he ordered the woman away, in a tone +which could not be disobeyed.</p> + +<p>"I don't want to make no talk," said Elsworthy, who +during this time had made many efforts to speak; "I've +sait it before, and I say it again—it's Mr Wentworth's fault +if there's any talk. She was seen here last night," he went +on rapidly, "and afore six o'clock this blessed morning, +you, as are never known to be stirring early, meets us at +the door, all shaved and dressed; and it aint very difficult +to see, to them as watches the clergyman's countenance," +said Elsworthy, turning from one to another, "as everything +isn't as straight as it ought to be; but I aint going to +make no talk, Mr Wentworth," he went on, drawing +closer, and speaking with conciliatory softness; "me and +her aunt, sir, loves her dearly, but we're not the folks to +stand in her way, if a gentleman was to take a fancy to +Rosa. If you'll give me your word to make her your wife +honourable, and tell me where she is, tortures wouldn't +draw no complaints from me. One moment, sir; it aint only +that she's pretty, but she's good as well—she won't do you +no discredit, Mr Wentworth. Put her to school, or what +you please, sir," said Rosa's uncle; "me and my wife will +never interfere, so be as you make her your wife honourable; +but I aint a worm to be trampled on," cried +Elsworthy, as the Curate, finding him approach very +closely, thrust him away with vehement indignation; "I +aint a slave to be pushed about. Them as brings Rosa to +shame shall come to shame by me; I'll ruin the man as +ruins that child. You may turn me out," he cried, as the +Curate laid his powerful hand upon his shoulder and +forced him towards the door, "but I'll come back, and I'll +bring all Carlingford. There shan't be a soul in the town as +doesn't know. Oh, you young viper, as I thought was a +pious clergyman! you aint got rid of me. My child—where's +my child?" cried the infuriated clerk, as he found +himself ejected into the road outside, and the door suddenly +closed upon him. He turned round to beat upon it in blind +fury, and kept calling upon Rosa, and wasting his threats +and arguments upon the calm air outside. Some of the +maid-servants in the other houses came out, broom in +hand, to the green doors, to see what was the matter, but +they were not near enough to hear distinctly, and no early +wayfarers had as yet invaded the morning quiet of Grange +Lane.</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth, white with excitement, and terribly +calm and self-possessed, turned to the amazed and trembling +druggist, who still stood inside. "Look here, Hayles," +said the Curate; "I have never seen Rosa Elsworthy since +I closed this door upon her last night. What had brought +her here I don't know—at least she came with no intention +of seeing me—and I reproved her sharply for being out +so late. This is all I know about the affair, and all I intend +to say to any one. If that idiot outside intends to make a +disturbance, he must do it; I shall take no further trouble +to clear myself of such an insane accusation. I think it +right to say as much to you, because you seem to have +your senses about you," said the Curate, pausing, out of +breath. He was perfectly calm, but it was impossible to +ignore the effect of such a scene upon ordinary flesh and +blood. His heart was beating loudly, and his breath came +short and quick. He turned away and walked up to the +house-door, and then came back again. "You understand +me, I suppose?" he said; "and if Elsworthy is not mad, you +had better suggest to him not to lose his only chance of +recovering Rosa by vain bluster with me, who know +nothing about her. I shan't be idle in the mean time," said +Mr Wentworth. All this time Elsworthy was beating +against the door, and shouting his threats into the quiet of +the morning; and Mrs Hadwin had thrown up her window, +and stood there visibly in her nightcap, trying to find out +what the noise was about, and trembling for the respectability +of her house—all which the Curate apprehended +with that extraordinary swiftness and breadth of perception +which comes to men at the eventful moments of life.</p> + +<p>"I'll do my best, sir," said Hayles, who felt that his +honour was appealed to; "but it's an awkward business for +all parties, that's what it is;" and the druggist backed out +in a state of great bewilderment, having a little struggle at +the door with Elsworthy to prevent his re-entrance. "There +aint nothing to be got out of <i>him</i>," said Mr Hayles, as he +succeeded at last in leading his friend away. Such was the +conclusion of Mr Wentworth's morning studies, and the +sermon which was to have been half written before breakfast +upon that eventful Saturday. He went back to the +house, as was natural, with very different thoughts in his +mind.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXVI.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">The</span> first thing Mr Wentworth did was to hasten up-stairs +to Wodehouse's room. Sarah had gone before him, and +was by this time talking to her mistress, who had left the +window, and stood, still in her nightcap, at the door of her +own chamber. "It's something about Rosa Elsworthy, +ma'am," said Sarah; "she's gone off with some one, which +nothing else was to be expected; and her uncle's been a-raving +and a-raging at Mr Wentworth, which proves as a +gentleman should never take no notice of them shop-girls. +I always heard as she was a bad lot."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Wentworth—if you would excuse my nightcap," +said Mrs Hadwin—"I am so shaken and all of a tremble +with that noise; I couldn't help thinking it must be a +murder at the least," said the little old lady; "but I never +could believe that there was anything between you and—Sarah, +you may go away; I should like to talk to Mr +Wentworth by himself," said Mrs Hadwin, suddenly +remembering that Mr Wentworth's character must not be +discussed in the presence of even her favourite maid.</p> + +<p>"Presently," said the unhappy Curate, with mingled +impatience and resignation; and, after a hasty knock at +the door, he went into Wodehouse's room, which was +opposite, so full of a furious anxiety to question him that +he had burst into speech before he perceived that the +room was empty. "Answer me this instant," he had cried, +"where is Rosa Elsworthy?" and then he paused, utterly +taken aback. It had not occurred to him that the culprit +would be gone. He had parted with him late on the +previous night, leaving him, according to appearances, in +a state of sulky half-penitence; and now the first impulse +of his consternation was to look in all the corners for the +fugitive. The room had evidently been occupied that +night; part of the Curate's own wardrobe, which he had +bestowed upon his guest, lay about on the chairs, and on a +little table were his tools and the bits of wood with which +he did his carving. The window was open, letting in the +fresh air, and altogether the apartment looked so exactly +like what it might have done had the occupant gone out for +a virtuous morning walk, that Mr Wentworth stopped +short in blank amazement. It was a relief to him to hear +the curious Sarah still rustling in the passage outside. He +came out upon her so hastily that Sarah was startled. +Perhaps she had been so far excited out of her usual +propriety as to think of the keyhole as a medium of +information.</p> + +<p>"Where is Wode—Mr Smith?" cried the Curate; "he is +not in his room—he does not generally get up so early. +Where is he? Did he go out last night?"</p> + +<p>"Not as I knows of, sir," said Sarah, who grew a little +pale, and gave a second glance at the open door. "Isn't the +gentleman in his room? He do take a walk in the morning, +now and again," and Sarah cast an alarmed look behind to +see if her mistress was still within hearing; but Mrs +Hadwin, intent on questioning Mr Wentworth himself, +had fortunately retired to put on her cap, and closed her +door.</p> + +<p>"Where is he?" said the Curate, firmly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, please sir, I don't know," said Sarah, who was +very near crying. "He's gone out for a walk, that's all. Oh, +Mr Wentworth, don't look at me so dreadfully, and I'll tell +you hall," cried the frightened girl, "<i>hall</i>—as true as if I +was on my oath. He 'as a taking way with him," said poor +Sarah, to whom the sulky and shabby rascal was radiant +still with the fascinating though faded glory of "a gentleman"—"and +he aint one as has been used to regular hours; +and seeing as he was a friend of yours, I knew as hall was +safe, Mr Wentworth; and oh, sir, if you'll not tell missis, as +might be angry. I didn't mean no harm; and knowing as he +was a friend of yours, I let him have the key of the little +door."</p> + +<p>Here Sarah put her apron to her eyes; she did not cry +much into it, or wet it with her tears—but under its cover +she peeped at Mr Wentworth, and, encouraged by his +looks, which did not seem to promise any immediate +catastrophe, went on with her explanation.</p> + +<p>"He's been and took a walk often in the morning," said +Sarah, with little gasps which interrupted her voice, "and +come in as steady as steady, and nothing happened. He's +gone for a walk now, poor gentleman. Them as goes out +first thing in the morning, can't mean no harm, Mr +Wentworth. If it was at night, it would be different," said +the apologetic Sarah. "He'll be in afore we've done our +breakfast in the kitchen; that's his hour, for I always +brings him a cup of coffee. If you hadn't been up not till +<i>your</i> hour, sir, you'd never have known nothing about it;" +and here even Mrs Hadwin's housemaid looked sharply in +the Curate's face. "I never knew you so early, sir, not +since I've been here," said Sarah; and though she was a +partisan of Mr Wentworth, it occurred even to Sarah that +perhaps, after all, Elsworthy might be right.</p> + +<p>"If he comes in let me know immediately," said the +Curate; and he went to his study and shut himself in, to +think it all over with a sense of being baited and baffled on +every side. As for Sarah, she went off in great excitement +to discuss the whole business with the cook, tossing her +head as she went. "Rosa Elsworthy, indeed!" said Sarah +to herself, thinking her own claims to admiration quite as +well worth considering—and Mr Wentworth had already +lost one humble follower in Grange Lane.</p> + +<p>The Curate sat down at his table as before, and gazed +with a kind of exasperation at the paper and the text out of +which his sermon was to have come. "When the wicked +man turneth away from the evil of his ways"—he began to +wonder bitterly whether that ever happened, or if it was +any good trying to bring it about. If it were really the case +that Wodehouse, whom he had been labouring to save +from the consequences of one crime, had, at the very crisis +of his fate, perpetrated another of the basest kind, what +was the good of wasting strength in behalf of a wretch so +abandoned? Why should such a man be permitted to live +to bring shame and misery on everybody connected with +him? and why, when noxious vermin of every other description +were hunted down and exterminated, should the +vile human creature be spared to suck the blood of his +friends? Mr Wentworth grew sanguinary in his thoughts as +he leaned back in his chair, and tried to return to the train +of reflection which Elsworthy's arrival had banished. That +was totally impossible, but another train of ideas came fast +enough to fill up the vacant space. The Curate saw himself +hemmed in on every side without any way of escape. If he +could not extract any information from Wodehouse, or if +Wodehouse denied any knowledge of Rosa, what could he +do to clear himself from an imputation so terrible? and if, +on the other hand, Wodehouse did not come back, and so +pleaded guilty, how could he pursue and put the law upon +the track of the man whom he had just been labouring to +save from justice, and over whose head a criminal prosecution +was impending? Mr Wentworth saw nothing but +misery, let him turn where he would—nothing but disgrace, +misapprehension, unjust blame. He divined with +the instinct of a man in deadly peril, that Elsworthy, who +was a mean enough man in common circumstances, had +been inspired by the supposed injury he had sustained +into a relentless demon; and he saw distinctly how strong +the chain of evidence was against him, and how little he +could do to clear himself. As his miseries grew upon him, +he got up, as was natural, and began to walk about the +room to walk down his impatience, if he could, and +acquire sufficient composure to enable him to wait for the +time when Wodehouse might be expected to arrive. Mr +Wentworth had forgotten at the moment that Mrs +Hadwin's room was next to his study, and that, as she +stood putting on her cap, his footsteps vibrated along the +flooring, which thrilled under her feet almost as much as +under his own. Mrs Hadwin, as she stood before her glass +smoothing her thin little braids of white hair, and putting +on her cap, could not but wonder to herself what could +make Mr Wentworth walk about the room in such an +agitated way. It was not by any means the custom of the +Perpetual Curate, who, up to the time of his aunts' arrival +in Carlingford, had known no special disturbances in his +individual career. And then the old lady thought of that +report about little Rosa Elsworthy, which she had never +believed, and grew troubled, as old ladies are not unapt to +do under such circumstances, with all that lively faith in +the seductions of "an artful girl," and all that contemptuous +pity for a "poor young man," which seems to come +natural to a woman. All the old ladies in Carlingford, male +and female, were but too likely to entertain the same +sentiments, which at least, if they did nothing else, +showed a wonderful faith in the power of love and folly +common to human nature. It did not occur to Mrs Hadwin +any more than it did to Miss Dora, that Mr Wentworth's +good sense and pride, and superior cultivation, were sufficient +defences against little Rosa's dimpled cheeks and +bright eyes; and with some few exceptions, such was likely +to be the opinion of the little world of Carlingford. Mrs +Hadwin grew more and more anxious about the business +as she felt the boards thrill under her feet, and heard the +impatient movements in the next room; and as soon as she +had settled her cap to her satisfaction, she left her own +chamber and went to knock, as was to be expected, at Mr +Wentworth's door.</p> + +<p>It was just at this moment that Mr Wentworth saw +Wodehouse's shabby figure entering at the garden-gate; +he turned round suddenly without hearing Mrs Hadwin's +knock, and all but ran over the old lady in his haste and +eagerness—"Pardon me; I am in a great hurry," said the +Curate, darting past her. Just at the moment when she +expected her curiosity to be satisfied, it was rather hard +upon Mrs Hadwin to be dismissed so summarily. She went +down-stairs in a state of great dignity, with her lace mittens +on, and her hands crossed before her. She felt she had +more and more reason for doubting human nature in +general, and for believing that the Curate of St Roque's in +particular could not bear any close examination into his +conduct. Mrs Hadwin sat down to her breakfast accordingly +with a sense of pitying virtue which was sweet to her +spirit, notwithstanding that she was, as she would have +frankly acknowledged, very fond of Mr Wentworth; she +said, "Poor young man," to herself, and shook her head +over him as she poured out her solitary cup of tea. She had +never been a beauty herself, nor had she exercised any +overwhelming influence that she could remember over +any one in the days of her distant youth: but being a true +woman, Mrs Hadwin believed in Rosa Elsworthy, and +pitied, not without a certain half-conscious female disdain, +the weakness of the inevitable victim. He did not dare to +stop to explain to <i>her</i> what it meant. He rushed out of her +way as soon as he saw she meant to question him. That +designing girl had got him entirely under her sway, the +poor young man!</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the Curate, without a single thought for his +landlady, made a rush to Wodehouse's room. He did not +wait for any answer to his knock, but went in, not as a +matter of policy, but because his eagerness carried him on +in spite of himself. To Mr Wentworth's great amazement +Wodehouse was undressing, intending, apparently, to +return to bed. The shabby fugitive, looking broad and +brawny in his shirt-sleeves, turned round when he heard +the voice with an angry exclamation. His face grew black +as he saw the Curate at the door. "What the deuce have +you to do in my room at this hour?" he growled into his +beard. "Is a man never to have a little peace?" and with +that threw down his coat, which he still had in his hand, +and faced round towards the intruder with sullen looks. It +was his nature to stand always on the defensive, and he +had got so much accustomed to being regarded as a +culprit, that he naturally took up the part, whether there +might be just occasion or not.</p> + +<p>"Where have you been?" exclaimed the Curate; "answer +me truly—I can't submit to any evasion. I know it all, +Wodehouse. Where is she? where have you hid her? If +you do not give her up, I must give you up to justice. Do +you hear me? where is Rosa Elsworthy? This is a matter +that touches my honour, and I must know the truth."</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth was so full of the subject that it did not +occur to him how much time he was giving his antagonist +to prepare his answer. Though Wodehouse was not clever, +he had the instinct of a baited animal driven to bay; and +resistance and denial came natural to a man who had been +accused and condemned all his life.</p> + +<p>"Rosa Elsworthy?" said the vagabond, "what have I to +do with Rosa Elsworthy? A pretty man I should be to run +away with a girl; all that I have in the world is a shilling or +two, and, by Jove, it's an expensive business, that is. You +should ask your brother," he continued, giving a furtive +glance at the Curate—"it's more in his way, by Jove, than +mine."</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth was recalled to himself by this reply. +"Where is she?" he said, sternly,—"no trifling. I did not +ask if you had taken her away. I ask, where is she?" He +had shut the door behind him, and stood in the middle of +the room facing Wodehouse, and overawing him by his +superior stature, force, and virtue. Before the Curate's +look the eyes of the other fell; but he had fallen by chance +on a reasonable defence enough, and so long as he held by +that felt himself tolerably safe.</p> + +<p>"I don't know anything about her," he repeated; "how +should I know anything about her? I aint a fool, by Jove, +whatever I may be: a man may talk to a pretty girl without +any harm. I mayn't be as good as a parson, but, by Jove, I +aint a fool," he muttered through his beard. He had begun +to speak with a kind of sulky self-confidence; but his voice +sunk lower as he proceeded. Jack Wentworth's elegant +levity was a terrible failure in the hands of the coarser +rascal. He fell back by degrees upon the only natural +quality which enabled him to offer any resistance. "By +Jove, I aint an idiot," he repeated with dull obstinacy, and +upon that statement made a stand in his dogged, argumentative +way.</p> + +<p>"Would you like it better if I said you were a villain?" +asked the exasperated Curate. "I don't want to discuss +your character with you. Where is Rosa Elsworthy? She is +scarcely more than a child," said Mr Wentworth, "and a +fool, if you like. But where is she? I warn you that unless +you tell me you shall have no more assistance from me."</p> + +<p>"And I tell you that I don't know," said Wodehouse; +and the two men stood facing each other, one glowing with +youthful indignation, the other enveloped in a cloud of +sullen resistance. Just then there came a soft knock at the +door, and Sarah peeped in with a coquettish air, which at +no other time in her existence had been visible in the +sedate demeanour of Mrs Hadwin's favourite handmaid. +The stranger lodger was "a gentleman," notwithstanding +his shabbiness, and he was a very civil-spoken gentleman, +without a bit of pride; and Sarah was still a woman, though +she was plain and a housemaid. "Please, sir, I've brought +you your coffee," said Sarah, and she carried in her tray, +which contained all the materials for a plentiful breakfast. +When she saw Mr Wentworth standing in the room, and +Wodehouse in his shirt-sleeves, Sarah said, "La!" and set +down her tray hastily and vanished; but the episode, short +as it was, had not been without its use to the culprit who +was standing on his defence.</p> + +<p>"I'm not staying here on my own account," said Wodehouse,—"it's +no pleasure to me to be here. I'm staying for +your brother's sake and—other people's; it's no pleasure +to me, by Jove! I'd go to-morrow if I had my way—but I +aint a fool," continued the sulky defendant: "it's of no use +asking me such questions. By Jove, I've other things to +think of than girls; and you know pretty well how much +money I've got," he continued, taking out an old purse +and emptying out the few shillings it contained into his +hand. When he had thrown them about, out and in, for +nearly a minute, he turned once more upon the Curate. +"I'd like to have a little more pocket-money before I ran +away with any one," said Wodehouse, and tossed the +shillings back contemptuously. As for Mr Wentworth, his +reasonableness once more came greatly in his way. He +began to ask himself whether this penniless vagabond, +who seemed to have no dash or daring in his character, +could have been the man to carry little Rosa away; and, +perplexed by this idea, Mr Wentworth put himself unawares +into the position of his opponent, and in that +character made an appeal to his imaginary generosity and +truth.</p> + +<p>"Wodehouse," he said, seriously, "look here. I am +likely to be much annoyed about this, and perhaps injured. I +entreat you to tell me, if you know, where the girl is. I've +been at some little trouble for you; be frank with me for +once," said the Curate of St Roque's. Nothing in existence +could have prevented himself from responding to such an +appeal, and he made it with a kind of absurd confidence +that there must be some kindred depths even in the +meaner nature with which he had to deal, which would +have been to Jack Wentworth, had he seen it, a source of +inextinguishable laughter. Even Wodehouse was taken by +surprise. He did not understand Mr Wentworth, but a +certain vague idea that the Curate was addressing him as +if he still were "a gentleman as he used to be"—though it +did not alter his resolution in any way—brought a vague +flush of shame to his unaccustomed cheek.</p> + +<p>"I aint a fool," he repeated rather hastily, and turned +away not to meet the Curate's eyes. "I've got no money—how +should <i>I</i> know anything about her? If I had, do you +think I should have been here?" he continued, with a +sidelong look of inquiry: then he paused and put on his +coat, and in that garb felt himself more of a match for his +opponent. "I'll tell you one thing you'll thank me for," he +said,—"the old man is dying, they think. They'll be +sending for you presently. That's more important than a +talk about a girl. I've been talked to till I'm sick," said +Wodehouse, with a little burst of irrepressible nature, +"but things may change before you all know where you +are." When he had said so much, the fear in his heart +awoke again, and he cast another look of inquiry and +anxiety at the Curate's face. But Mr Wentworth was +disgusted, and had no more to say.</p> + +<p>"Everything changes—except the heart of the churl, +which can never be made bountiful," said the indignant +young priest. It was not a fit sentiment, perhaps, for a +preacher who had just written that text about the wicked +man turning from the evil of his ways. Mr Wentworth +went away in a glow of indignation and excitement, and +left his guest to Sarah's bountiful provision of hot coffee +and new-laid eggs, to which Wodehouse addressed himself +with a perfectly good appetite, notwithstanding all the +events of the morning, and all the mystery of the night.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII"></a>CHAPTER XXVII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Mr Wentworth</span> +retired to his own quarters with enough +to think about for one morning. He could not make up his +mind about Wodehouse—whether he was guilty or not +guilty. It seemed incredible that, penniless as he was, he +could have succeeded in carrying off a girl so well known +in Carlingford as Rosa Elsworthy; and, if he had taken her +away, how did it happen that he himself had come back +again? The Curate saw clearly enough that his only +chance for exculpating himself in the sight of the multitude +was by bringing home the guilt to somebody else; and in +proportion to the utter scorn with which he had treated +Elsworthy's insinuations at first, was his serious apprehension +now of the danger which surrounded him. He divined +all that slander would make of it with the quickened +intelligence of a man whose entire life, and reputation +dearer than life, were at stake. If it could not be cleared +up—if even any investigation which he might be able to +demand was not perfectly successful—Mr Wentworth was +quite well aware that the character of a clergyman was +almost as susceptible as that of a woman, and that the +vague stigma might haunt and overshadow him all his life. +The thought was overwhelming at this moment, when his +first hopes of finding a speedy solution of the mystery had +come to nothing. If he had but lived a century earlier, the +chances are that no doubt of Wodehouse's guilt would +have entered his mind; but Mr Wentworth was a man of +the present age—reasonable to a fault, and apt to consider +other people as much as possible from their own point of +view. He did not see, looking at the circumstances, how +Wodehouse <i>could</i> be guilty; and the Curate would not +permit the strong instinctive certainty that he <i>was</i> guilty, +to move his own mind from what he imagined to be its +better judgment. He was thinking it over very gloomily +when his breakfast was brought to him and his letters, +feeling that he could be sure of nobody in such an emergency, +and dreading more the doubt of his friends than the +clamour of the general world. He could bear (he imagined) +to be hooted at in the streets, if it ever came to that; but to +see the faces of those who loved him troubled with a +torturing doubt of his truth was a terrible thought to the +Perpetual Curate. And Lucy? But here the young man got +up indignant and threw off his fears. He doubted her +regard with a doubt which threw darkness over the whole +universe; but that she should be able for a moment to +doubt his entire devotion to her, seemed a blindness +incredible. No; let who would believe ill of him in this +respect, to Lucy such an accusation must look as monstrous +as it was untrue. <i>She</i>, at least, knew otherwise; and, taking +this false comfort to his heart, Mr Wentworth took up his +letters, and presently was deep in the anxieties of his +brother Gerald, who wrote to him as to a man at leisure, +and without any overwhelming perplexities of his own. It +requires a very high amount of unselfishness in the person +thus addressed to prevent a degree of irritation which is +much opposed to sympathy; and Mr Wentworth, though +he was very impartial and reasonable, was not, being still +young and meaning to be happy, unselfish to any inhuman +degree. He put down Gerald's letter, after he had read +through half of it, with an exclamation of impatience +which he could not restrain, and then poured out his +coffee, which had got cold in the mean time, and gulped it +down with a sense of half-comforting disgust—for there +are moments when the mortification of the flesh is a relief +to the spirit; and then it occurred to him to remember +Wodehouse's tray, which was a kind of love-offering to the +shabby vagabond, and the perfect good order in which <i>he</i> +had his breakfast; and Mr Wentworth laughed at himself +with a whimsical perception of all that was absurd in his +own position which did him good, and broke the spell of +his solitary musings. When he took up Gerald's letter +again, he read it through. A man more sympathetic, open-hearted, +and unselfish than Gerald Wentworth did not +exist in the world, as his brother well knew; but nevertheless, +Gerald's mind was so entirely preoccupied that he +passed over the Curate's cares with the lightest reference +imaginable. "I hope you found all right when you got +back, and nothing seriously amiss with Jack," the elder +brother wrote, and then went on to his own affairs. All +right! nothing seriously amiss! To a man who felt himself +standing on the edge of possible ruin, such expressions +seemed strange indeed.</p> + +<p>The Rector of Wentworth, however, had enough in his +mind to excuse him for a momentary forgetfulness of +others. Things had taken a different turn with him since +his brother left. He had been so busy with his change of +faith and sentiment, that the practical possibilities of the +step which he contemplated had not disturbed Gerald. He +had taken it calmly for granted that he <i>could</i> do what he +wanted to do. But a new light had burst upon him in that +respect, and changed the character of his thoughts. +Notwithstanding the conviction into which he had reasoned +himself, the Rector of Wentworth had not contemplated +the idea of becoming simply a Catholic layman. He was +nothing if not a priest, he had said, passionately. He could +have made a martyr of himself—have suffered tortures +and deaths with the steadiest endurance; but he could not +face the idea of taking all meaning and significance out of +his life, by giving up the profession which he felt to be laid +upon him by orders indelible, beyond the power of +circumstances to revoke. Such was the new complication +to which Gerald had come. He was terribly staggered in +his previous resolution by this new doubt, and he wrote to +pour his difficulties into the ear of his brother. It had been +Frank's question which first awoke in his mind a doubt as +to the practicability of the step he contemplated; and one +of Louisa's relations, appealed to by her in her next access +of terror, had brought this aspect of the matter still more +distinctly before the Rector of Wentworth. Gerald had +been studying Canon law, but his English intelligence did +not make very much of it; and the bare idea of a dispensation +making that right which in itself was wrong, touched +the high-minded gentleman to the quick, and brought him +to a sudden standstill. He who was nothing if not a priest, +stood sorrowfully looking at his contemplated martyrdom—like +Brother Domenico of St Mark's sighing on the edge +of the fiery ordeal into which the Church herself would not +let him plunge. If it was so, he no longer knew what to do. +He would have wrapped the vestment of the new priesthood +about him, though it was a garment of fire; but to +stand aside in irksome leisure was a harder trial, at which +he trembled. This was the new complication in which +Gerald asked his brother's sympathy and counsel. It was a +long letter, curiously introspective, and full of self-argument; +and it was hard work, with a mind so occupied as +was that of the Perpetual Curate, to give it due attention. +He put it away when he had done with his cold breakfast, +and deferred the consideration of the subject, with a kind +of vague hope that the family firmament might possibly +brighten in that quarter at least; but the far-off and +indistinct interest with which he viewed, across his own +gloomy surroundings, this matter which had engrossed +him so completely a few days before, was wonderful to +see.</p> + +<p>And then he paused to think what he was to do. To go +out and face the slander which must already have crept +forth on its way—to see Elsworthy and ascertain whether +he had come to his senses, and try if anything could be +done for Rosa's discovery—to exert himself somehow, in +short, and get rid of the feverish activity which he felt +consuming him,—that was what he longed to do. But, on +the other hand, it was Saturday, and Mr Wentworth was +conscious that it would be more dignified, and in better +taste altogether, if he went on writing his sermon and took +no notice of this occurrence, with which, in reality, he had +nothing to do. It was difficult, but no doubt it was the best; +and he tried it accordingly—putting down a great many +sentences which had to be scratched out again, and +spoiling altogether the appearance of the sermon-paper. +When a message came from Mr Wodehouse's about eleven +o'clock, bringing the news that he was much worse and not +expected to live, and begging Mr Wentworth's immediate +presence, the Curate was as nearly glad as it was possible +for a man to be under the circumstances. He had "a +feeling heart," as even Elsworthy allowed, but in such a +moment of excitement any kind of great and terrible event +seemed to come natural. He hastened out into the fresh +morning sunshine, which still seemed thrilling with life +and joy, and went up Grange Lane with a certain sense of +curiosity, wondering whether everybody was already +aware of what had happened. A long way off a figure +which much resembled that of the Rector was visible +crossing over to Dr Marjoribanks's door; and it occurred to +the Curate that Mr Morgan was crossing to avoid him, +which brought a smile of anger and involuntary dislike to +his face, and nerved him for any other encounter. The +green door at Mr Wodehouse's—a homely sign of the +trouble in the house—had been left unlatched, and was +swinging ajar with the wind when the Curate came up; and +as he went in (closing it carefully after him, for that forlorn +little touch of carelessness went to his heart), he encountered +in the garden Dr Marjoribanks and Dr Rider, who were +coming out together with very grave looks. They did not +stop for much conversation, only pausing to tell him that +the case was hopeless, and that the patient could not +possibly live beyond a day or two at most; but even in the +few words that were spoken Mr Wentworth perceived, or +thought he perceived, that something had occurred to +lessen him in the esteem of the shrewd old Scotch doctor, +who contemplated him and his prayer-book with critical +eyes. "I confess, after all, that there are cases in which +written prayers are a kind of security," Dr Marjoribanks +said in an irrelevant manner to Dr Rider when Mr +Wentworth had passed them—an observation at which, in +ordinary cases, the Curate would have smiled; but to-day +the colour rose to his face, and he understood that Dr +Marjoribanks did not think him qualified to carry comfort +or instruction to a sick-bed. Perhaps the old doctor had no +such idea in his mind—perhaps it was simply a relic of his +national Presbyterianism, to which the old Scotchman +kept up a kind of visionary allegiance. But whether he +meant it or not, Mr Wentworth understood it as a reproach +to himself, and went on with a bitter feeling of mortification +to the sick-room. He had gone with his whole heart into his +priestly office, and had been noted for his ministrations to +the sick and poor; but now his feelings were much too +personal for the atmosphere into which he was just about +to enter. He stopped at the door to tell John that he would +take a stroll round the garden before he came in, as he had +a headache, and went on through the walks which were +sacred to Lucy, not thinking of her, but wondering bitterly +whether anybody would stand by him, or whether an +utterly baseless slander would outweigh all the five years +of his life which he had spent among the people of Carlingford. +Meanwhile John stood at the door and watched him, +and of course thought it was very "queer." "It aint as if +he'd a-been sitting up all night, like our young ladies," +said John to himself, and unconsciously noted the circumstance +down in his memory against the Curate.</p> + +<p>When Mr Wentworth entered the sick-room, he found +all very silent and still in that darkened chamber. Lucy +was seated by the bedside, wrapped in a loose dressing-gown, +and looked as if she had not slept for several nights; +while Miss Wodehouse, who, notwithstanding all her +anxiety to be of use, was far more helpless than Lucy, +stood on the side next the door, with her eyes fixed on her +sister, watching with pathetic unserviceableness for the +moment when she could be of some use. As for the patient +himself, he lay in a kind of stupor, from which he scarcely +ever could be roused, and showed no tokens at the moment +of hearing or seeing anybody. The scene was doubly sad, +but it was without the excitement which so often breathes +in the atmosphere of death. There was no eager listening +for the last word, no last outbreaks of tenderness. The +daughters were both hushed into utter silence; and Lucy, +who was more reasonable than her sister, had even given +up those wistful beseeching looks at the patient, with which +Miss Wodehouse still regarded him, as if perhaps he might +be thus persuaded to speak. The nurse whom Dr Marjoribanks +had sent to assist them was visible through an open +door, sleeping very comfortably in the adjoining room. Mr +Wentworth came into the silent chamber with all his +anxieties throbbing in his heart, bringing life at its very +height of agitation and tumult into the presence of death. +He went forward to the bed, and tried for an instant to call +up any spark of intelligence that might yet exist within the +mind of the dying man; but Mr Wodehouse was beyond +the voice of any priest. The Curate said the prayers for +the dying at the bedside, suddenly filled with a great pity +for the man who was thus taking leave unawares of all this +mournful splendid world. Though the young man knew +many an ordinary sentiment about the vanity of life, and +had given utterance to that effect freely in the way of his +duty, he was still too fresh in his heart to conceive actually +that any one could leave the world without poignant +regrets; and when his prayer was finished, he stood looking +at the patient with inexpressible compassion. Mr Wodehouse +had scarcely reached old age; he was well off, and +only a week ago seemed to have so much to enjoy; now, +here he lay stupefied, on the edge of the grave, unable to +respond even by a look to the love that surrounded him. +Once more there rose in the heart of the young priest a +natural impulse of resentment and indignation; and when +he thought of the cause of this change, he remembered +Wodehouse's threat, and roused himself from his contemplation +of the dying to think of the probable fate of those +who must live.</p> + +<p>"Has he made his will?" said Mr Wentworth, suddenly. +He forgot that it was Lucy who was standing by him; and it +was only when he caught a glance of reproach and horror +from her eyes that he recollected how abrupt his question +was. "Pardon me," he said; "you think me heartless to +speak of it at such a time; but tell me, if you know: Miss +Wodehouse, has he made his will?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Wentworth, I don't know anything about +business," said the elder sister. "He said he would; but we +have had other things to think of—more important things," +said poor Miss Wodehouse, wringing her hands, and +looking at Mr Wentworth with eyes full of warning and +meaning, beseeching him not to betray her secret. She +came nearer to the side of the bed on which Lucy and the +Curate were standing, and plucked at his sleeve in her +anxiety. "We have had very different things to think of. +Oh, Mr Wentworth, what does it matter?" said the poor +lady, interposing her anxious looks, which suggested every +kind of misfortune, between the two.</p> + +<p>"It matters everything in the world," said Mr Wentworth. +"Pardon me if I wound you—I must speak; if it is possible +to rouse him, an effort must be made. Send for Mr +Waters. He must not be allowed to go out of the world and +leave your interests in the hands of—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, hush, Mr Wentworth, hush!—oh, hush, hush! +Don't say any more," cried Miss Wodehouse, grasping his +arm in her terror.</p> + +<p>Lucy rose from where she had been sitting at the +bedside. She had grown paler than before, and looked +almost stern in her youthful gravity. "I will not permit my +father to be disturbed," she said. "I don't know what you +mean, or what you are talking of; but he is not to be +disturbed. Do you think I will let him be vexed in his last +hours about money or anybody's interest?" she said, +turning upon the Curate a momentary glance of scorn. +Then she sat down again, with a pang of disappointment +added to her grief. She could not keep her heart so much +apart from him, as not to expect a little comfort from his +presence. And there had been comfort in his prayers and +his looks; but to hear him speak of wills and worldly affairs +by her father's deathbed, as any man might have done, +went to Lucy's heart. She sat down again, putting her +hand softly upon the edge of the pillow, to guard the peace +of those last moments which were ebbing away so rapidly. +What if all the comfort of the world hung upon it? Could +she let her kind father be troubled in his end for anything +so miserable? Lucy turned her indignant eyes upon the +others with silent resolution. It was she who was <i>his</i> +protector now.</p> + +<p>"But it must be done," said Mr Wentworth. "You will +understand me hereafter. Miss Wodehouse, you must +send for Mr Waters, and in the mean time I will do what I +can to rouse him. It is no such cruelty as you think," said +the Curate, with humility; "it is not for money or interest +only—it concerns all the comfort of your life."</p> + +<p>This he said to Lucy, who sat defending her father. She, +for her part, looked up at him with eyes that broke his +heart. At that moment of all others, the unfortunate +Curate perceived, by a sudden flash of insight, that nothing +less than love could look at him with such force of disappointment +and reproach and wounded feeling. He replied +to the look by a gesture of mingled entreaty and despair.</p> + +<p>"What can I do?" he cried—"you have no one else to +care for you. I cannot even explain to you all that is at +stake. I must act as I ought, even though you hate me for +it. Let us send for Mr Waters;—if there is a will—"</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth had raised his voice a little in the excitement +of the moment, and the word caught the dull ear +of the dying man. The Curate saw instantly that there was +comprehension in the flicker of the eyelash and the +tremulous movement of the hand upon the bed. It was a +new and unaccustomed part which he had now to play; he +went hurriedly to the other side and leaned over the pillow +to make out the stammering words which began to be +audible. Lucy had risen up also and stood looking at her +father still with her look of defence. As the feeble lips +babbled forth unintelligible words, Lucy's face grew +sterner and sterner. As for Miss Wodehouse, she stood +behind, crying and trembling. "Oh, Mr Wentworth, do +you think it is returning life—do you think he is better?" +she cried, looking wistfully at the Curate; and between the +two young people, who were leaning with looks and +feelings so different over his bed, the patient lay struggling +with those terrible bonds of weakness, labouring to find +expression for something which wrought him into a fever +of excitement. While Mr Wentworth bent his ear closer +and closer, trying to make some sense of the inarticulate +torrent of sound, Lucy, inspired by grief and horror and +indignation, leaned over her father on the other side, doing +everything possible to calm him. "Oh, papa, don't say any +more—don't say any more; we understand you," she +cried, and put her soft hands upon his flushed forehead, +and her cheek to his. "No more, no more!" cried the girl in +the dulled ear which could not hear. "We will do everything +you wish—we understand all," said Lucy. Mr +Wentworth withdrew vanquished in that strange struggle—he +stood looking on while she caressed and calmed and +subdued into silence the dying passion which he would +have given anything in the world to stimulate into clearer +utterance. She had baffled his efforts, made him helpless +to serve her, perhaps injured herself cruelly; but all the +more the Curate loved her for it, as she expanded over her +dying father, with the white sleeves hanging loose about +her arms like the white wings of an angel, as he thought. +Gradually the agony of utterance got subdued, and then +Lucy resumed her position by the bed. "He shall not be +disturbed," she said again, through lips that were parched +with emotion; and so sat watchful over him, a guardian +immovable, ready to defy all the world in defence of his +peace.</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth turned away with his heart full. He +would have liked to go and kiss her hand or her sleeve or +anything belonging to her; and yet he was impatient +beyond expression, and felt that she had baffled and +vanquished him. Miss Wodehouse stood behind, still +looking on with a half perception of what had happened; +but the mind of the elder sister was occupied with vain +hopes and fears, such as inexperienced people are subject +to in the presence of death.</p> + +<p>"He heard what you said," said Miss Wodehouse; "don't +you think that was a good sign? Oh, Mr Wentworth, +sometimes I think he looks a little better," said the poor +lady, looking wistfully into the Curate's face. Mr Wentworth +could only shake his head as he hurried away.</p> + +<p>"I must go and consult Mr Waters," he said, as he +passed her. "I shall come back presently;" and then Miss +Wodehouse followed him to the door, to beg him not to +speak to Mr Waters of <i>anything particular</i>—"For papa has +no confidence in him," she said, anxiously. The Curate +was nearly driven to his wits' end as he hastened out. He +forgot the clouds that surrounded him in his anxiety about +this sad household; for it seemed but too evident that Mr +Wodehouse had made no special provision for his +daughters; and to think of Lucy under the power of her +unknown brother, made Mr Wentworth's blood boil.</p> + +<p>The shutters were all put up that afternoon in the +prettiest house in Grange Lane. The event took Carlingford +altogether by surprise; but other events just then +were moving the town into the wildest excitement; for +nothing could be heard, far or near, of poor little Rosa +Elsworthy, and everybody was aware that the last time +she was seen in Carlingford she was standing by herself in +the dark, at Mr Wentworth's garden-door.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII"></a>CHAPTER XXVIII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Mrs Morgan</span> was in the garden watering her favourite +ferns when her husband returned home to dinner on the +day of Mr Wodehouse's death. The Rector was late, and +she had already changed her dress, and was removing the +withered leaves from her prettiest plant of maidenhair, +and thinking, with some concern, of the fish, when she +heard his step on the gravel; for the cook at the Rectory +was rather hasty in her temper, and was apt to be provoking +to her mistress next morning when the Rector chose +to be late. It was a very hot day, and Mr Morgan was +flushed and uncomfortable. To see his wife looking so cool +and tranquil in her muslin dress rather aggravated him +than otherwise, for she did not betray her anxiety about +the trout, but welcomed him with a smile, as she felt it her +duty to do, even when he was late for dinner. The Rector +looked as if all the anxieties of the world were on his +shoulders, as he came hurriedly along the gravel; and Mrs +Morgan's curiosity was sufficiently excited by his looks to +have overcome any consideration but that of the trout, +which, however, was too serious to be trifled with; so, +instead of asking questions, she thought it wiser simply to +remind her husband that it was past six o'clock. "Dinner is +waiting," she said, in her composed way; and the Rector +went up-stairs to wash his hands, half disposed to be angry +with his wife. He found her already seated at the head of +the table when he came down after his rapid ablutions; +and though he was not particularly quick of perception, Mr +Morgan perceived, by the looks of the servant as well as +the mistress, that he was generally disapproved of +throughout the household for being half an hour too late. +As for Thomas, he was at no pains to conceal his sentiments, +but conducted himself with distant politeness +towards his master, expressing the feelings of the household +with all the greater freedom that he had been in +possession of the Rectory since Mr Bury's time, and felt +himself more secure in his tenure than any incumbent, as +was natural to a man who had already outlived two of +these temporary tenants. Mr Morgan was disposed to be +conciliatory when he saw the strength of the opposite side.</p> + +<p>"I am a little late today," said the politic Rector. "Mr +Leeson was with me, and I did not want to bring him home +to dinner. It was only on Wednesday he dined with us, +and I know you don't care for chance guests."</p> + +<p>"I think it shows a great want of sense in Mr Leeson to +think of such a thing," said Mrs Morgan, responding by a +little flush of anger to the unlucky Curate's name. "He +might understand that people like to be by themselves +now and then. I am surprised that you give in to him so +much as you do, William. Good-nature must stop somewhere, +and I think it is always best to draw a line."</p> + +<p>"I wish it were possible for everybody to draw a line," +said the Rector, mysteriously, with a sigh. "I have heard +something that has grieved me very much to-day. I will tell +you about it afterwards." When he had said this, Mr +Morgan addressed himself sadly to his dinner, sighing +over it, as if that had something to do with his distress.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps, ma'am," suggested Thomas, who was +scarcely on speaking terms with his master, "the Rector +mayn't have heard as Mr Wodehouse has been took very +bad again, and aint expected to see out the night."</p> + +<p>"I am very sorry," said the Rector. "Poor ladies! it will +come very hard upon them. My dear, I think you should +call and ask if you can do anything. Troubles never come +singly, it is said. I am very sorry for that poor young +creature; though, perhaps, things have not gone so far as +one imagined." The Rector sighed again, and looked as +though his secret, whatever it might be, was almost too +much for him. The consequence, of course, was, that +Thomas prolonged his services to the last possibility, by +way of hearing what had happened; as for Mrs Morgan, +she sat on thorns, though her sense of propriety was too +great to permit her to hurry over the dinner. The pudding, +though it was the Rector's favourite pudding, prepared +from a receipt only known at All-Souls, in which the late +respected Head of that learned community had concentrated +all his genius, was eaten in uneasy silence, broken +only by the most transparent attempts on both sides to +make a little conversation. Thomas hovered sternly over +his master and mistress all the time, exacting with inexorable +severity every usage of the table. He would not let +them off the very smallest detail, but insisted on handing +round the peaches, notwithstanding Mrs Morgan's protest. +"They are the first out of the new orchard-house," said the +Rector's wife. "I want your opinion of them. That will do, +Thomas; we have got everything now, I think." Mrs +Morgan was a little anxious about the peaches, having +made a great many changes on her own responsibility in +the gardening department; but the Rector took the downy +fruit as if it had been a turnip, and notwithstanding her +interest in the long-delayed news, his wife could not but +find it very provoking that he took so little notice of her +exertions.</p> + +<p>"Roberts stood out against the new flue as long as he +could," said Mrs Morgan. "Mr Proctor took no interest in +the garden, and everything had gone to ruin; though I +must say it was very odd that anybody from <i>your</i> college, +William, should be careless about such a vital matter," +said the Rector's wife, with a little asperity. "I suppose +there must be something in the air of Carlingford which +makes people indifferent." Naturally, it was very provoking, +after all the trouble she had taken, to see her +husband slicing that juicy pulp as if it had been any +ordinary market fruit.</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon, my dear," said Mr Morgan; "I was +thinking of this story about Mr Wentworth. One is always +making new discoveries of the corruption of human nature. +He had behaved very badly to me; but it is very sad to see +a young man sacrifice all his prospects for the indulgence +of his passions; though that is a very secular way of looking +at the subject," said the Rector, shaking his head mournfully. +"If it is bad in a worldly point of view, what is it in a +spiritual? and in this age, too, when it is so important to +keep up the character of the clergy!" Mr Morgan sighed +again more heavily than ever as he poured out the single +glass of port, in which his wife joined him after dinner. +"Such an occurrence throws a stigma upon the whole +Church, as Mr Leeson very justly remarked."</p> + +<p>"I thought Mr Leeson must have something to do with +it," said the Rector's wife. "What has Mr Wentworth been +doing? When you keep a Low-Church Curate, you never +can tell what he may say. If he had known of the All-Souls +pudding he would have come to dinner, and we should +have had it at first-hand," said Mrs Morgan, severely. She +put away her peach in her resentment, and went to a side-table +for her work, which she always kept handy for +emergencies. Like her husband, Mrs Morgan had acquired +some little "ways" in the long ten years of their engagement, +one of which was a confirmed habit of needlework +at all kinds of unnecessary moments, which much disturbed +the Rector when he had anything particular to say.</p> + +<p>"My dear, I am very sorry to see you so much the +victim of prejudice," said Mr Morgan. "I had hoped that +all our long experiences—" and here the Rector stopped +short, troubled to see the rising colour in his wife's face. "I +don't mean to blame you, my dear," said the perplexed +man; "I know you were always very patient;" and he +paused, not knowing what more to say, comforting himself +with the thought that women were incomprehensible +creatures, as so many men have done before.</p> + +<p>"I am not patient," said the Rector's wife; "it never was +my nature. I can't help thinking sometimes that our long +experiences have done us more harm than good; but I +hope nothing will ever make me put up with a Curate who +tells tales about other people, and flatters one's self, and +comes to dinner without being asked. Perhaps Mr Wentworth +is very sinful, but at least he is a gentleman," said +Mrs Morgan; and she bent her head over her work, and +drove her needle so fast through the muslin she was at +work upon, that it glimmered and sparkled like summer +lightning before the spectator's dazzled eyes.</p> + +<p>"I am sorry you are so prejudiced," said the Rector. "It +is a very unbecoming spirit, my dear, though I am grieved +to say so much to you. Mr Leeson is a very good young +man, and he has nothing to do with this terrible story +about Mr Wentworth. I don't wish to shock your feelings—but +there are a great many things in the world that one +can't explain to ladies. He has got himself into a most +distressing position, and a public inquiry will be necessary. +One can't help seeing the hand of Providence in it," said +the Rector, playing reflectively with the peach on his +plate.</p> + +<p>It was at this moment that Thomas appeared at the door +to announce Mr Leeson, who had come to talk over the +topic of the day with the Rector—being comfortably +obtuse in his perceptions, and quite disposed to ignore Mrs +Morgan's general demeanour towards himself. "I am sure +she has a bad temper," he would say to his confidants in +the parish; "you can see it by the redness in her face: but I +never take any notice when she says rude things to me." +The redness was alarming in Mrs Morgan's face as the +unlucky man became visible at the door. She said audibly, +"I knew we should be interrupted!" and got up from her +chair. "As Mr Leeson is here, you will not want me, +William," she added, in her precisest tones. "If anything +has happened since you came in, he will be able to tell you +about it; and perhaps I had better send you your coffee +here, for I have a great many things to do." Mr Morgan +gave a little groan in his spirit as his wife went away. To +do him justice, he had a great deal of confidence in her, +and was unconsciously guided by her judgment in many +matters. Talking it over with Mr Leeson was a totally +different thing; for whatever might be said in his defence, +there could not be any doubt that the Curate professed +Low-Church principles, and had been known to drink tea +with Mr Beecher, the new minister of Salem Chapel. "Not +that I object to Mr Beecher because he is a Dissenter," Mr +Morgan said, "but because, my dear, you know, it is a +totally different class of society." When the Rector was +left alone to discuss parish matters with this doubtful +subordinate, instead of going into the subject with his +wife, the good man felt a pang of disappointment; for +though he professed to be reluctant to shock her, he had +been longing all the time to enter into the story, which was +certainly the most exciting which had occurred in Carlingford +since the beginning of his incumbency. Mrs Morgan, +for her part, went up-stairs to the drawing-room with so +much indignation about this personal grievance that she +almost forgot her curiosity. Mr Leeson hung like a cloud +over all the advantages of Carlingford; he put out that new +flue in the greenhouse, upon which she was rather disposed +to pique herself, and withered her ferns, which everybody +allowed to be the finest collection within a ten miles' +circuit. This sense of disgust increased upon her as she +went into the drawing-room, where her eye naturally +caught that carpet which had been the first cross of her +married life. When she had laid down her work, she began +to plan how the offensive bouquets might be covered with +a pinafore of linen, which looked very cool and nice in +summer-time. And then the Rector's wife reflected that in +winter a floor covered with white looked chilly, and that a +woollen drugget of an appropriate small pattern would be +better on the whole; but no such thing was to be had +without going to London for it, which brought her mind +back again to Mr Leeson and all the disadvantages of +Carlingford. These subjects occupied Mrs Morgan to the +exclusion of external matters, as was natural; and when +she heard the gentlemen stir down-stairs as if with ideas of +joining her in the drawing-room, the Rector's wife suddenly +recollected that she had promised some tea to a poor +woman in Grove Street, and that she could not do better +this beautiful evening than take it in her own person. She +was very active in her district at all times, and had proved +herself an admirable clergywoman; but perhaps it would +not have occurred to her to go out upon a charitable +errand that particular evening had it not been for the +presence of Mr Leeson down-stairs.</p> + +<p>It was such a very lovely night, that Mrs Morgan was +tempted to go further than she intended. She called on two +or three of her favourites in Grove Street, and was almost +as friendly with them as Lucy Wodehouse was with the +people in Prickett's Lane; but being neither pretty and +young, like Lucy, nor yet a mother with a nursery, qualified +to talk about the measles, her reception was not quite +as enthusiastic as it might have been. Somehow it would +appear as though our poor neighbours loved most the +ministrations of youth, which is superior to all ranks in the +matter of possibility and expectation, and inferior to all +ranks in the matter of experience; and so holds a kind of +balance and poise of nature between the small and the great. +Mrs Morgan was vaguely sensible of her disadvantages in this +respect as well as in others. She never could help imagining +what she might have been had she married ten years +before at the natural period. "And even then not a girl," +she said to herself in her sensible way, as she carried this +habitual thread of thought with her along the street, past +the little front gardens, where there were so many mothers +with their children. On the other side of the way the +genteel houses frowned darkly with their staircase windows +upon the humility of Grove Street; and Mrs Morgan began +to think within herself of the Miss Hemmings and other +spinsters, and how they got along upon this path of life, +which, after all, is never lightsome to behold, except in the +future or the past. It was dead present with the Rector's +wife just then, and many speculations were in her mind, as +was natural. "Not that I could not have lived unmarried," +she continued within herself, with a woman's pride; "but +things looked so different at five-and-twenty!" and in her +heart she grudged the cares she had lost, and sighed over +this wasting of her years.</p> + +<p>It was just then that the youngest Miss Hemmings saw +Mrs Morgan, and crossed over to speak to her. Miss +Hemmings had left five-and-thirty behind a long time ago, +and thought the Rector's wife a happy woman in the +bloom of youth. When she had discovered conclusively +that Mrs Morgan would not go in to have a cup of tea, Miss +Hemmings volunteered to walk with her to the corner; and +it is not necessary to say that she immediately plunged +into the topic which at that moment engaged all minds in +Carlingford. "If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I +should not have believed it," said Miss Hemmings. "I +should have thought it a got-up story; not that I ever could +have thought it <i>impossible</i>, as you say—for, alas! I know +well that without grace every wickedness is more than +possible—but I saw them with my own eyes, my dear Mrs +Morgan; she standing outside, the bold little thing, and he at +the door—as if it was right for a clergyman to open the door +like a man-servant—and from that moment to this she has +not been seen by any living creature in Carlingford: who can +tell what may have been done with her?" cried the horrified +eyewitness. "She has never been seen from that hour!"</p> + +<p>"But that was only twenty-four hours ago," said Mrs +Morgan; "she may have gone off to visit some of her +friends."</p> + +<p>"Ah, my dear Mrs Morgan, twenty-four hours is a long +time for a girl to disappear out of her own home," said +Miss Hemmings; "and all her friends have been sent to, +and no word can be heard of her. I am afraid it will go +very hard with Mr Wentworth; and I am sure it looks like +a judgment upon him for all his candlesticks and flowers +and things," she continued, out of breath with the impetuosity +of her tale.</p> + +<p>"Do you think, then, that God makes people sin in +order to punish them?" said Mrs Morgan, with some fire, +which shocked Miss Hemmings, who did not quite know +how to reply.</p> + +<p>"I do so wish you would come in for a few minutes and +taste our tea; my sister Sophia was just making it when I +came out. We get it from our brother in Assam, and we +think a great deal of it," said Miss Hemmings; "it can't +possibly be adulterated, you know, for it comes direct +from his plantation. If you can't come in just now, I will +send you some to the Rectory, and you shall tell us how +you like it. We are quite proud of our tea. My brother has +a large plantation, and he hopes—"</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said Mrs Morgan, "but the Rector will be +waiting for me, and I must go. It must be very nice to +have your tea direct from the plantation; and I hope you +will change your mind about Mr Wentworth," she continued, +without much regard for punctuation, as she shook +hands at the corner. Mrs Morgan went down a narrow +street which led to Grange Lane, after this interview, with +some commotion in her mind. She took Mr Wentworth's +part instinctively, without asking any proofs of his innocence. +The sun was just setting, and St Roque's stood out +dark and picturesque against all the glory of the western +sky as the Rector's wife went past. She could not help +thinking of him, in his youth and the opening of his career, +with a kind of wistful interest. If he had married Lucy +Wodehouse, and confined himself to his own district (but +then he had no district), Mrs Morgan would have contemplated +the two, not, indeed, without a certain half-resentful +self-reference and contrast, but with natural sympathy. +And now, to think of this dark and ugly blot on his fair +beginning disturbed her much. When Mrs Morgan recollected +that she had left her husband and his Curate +consulting over this matter, she grew very hot and angry, +and felt humiliated by the thought. Was it her William, +her hero, whom she had magnified for all these ten years, +though not without occasional twinges of enlightenment, +into something great, who was thus sitting upon his young +brother with so little human feeling and so much middle-aged +jealousy? It hurt her to think of it, though not for Mr +Wentworth's sake. Poor Mrs Morgan, though not at all a +sentimental person, had hoarded up her ideal so much +after the ordinary date, that it came all the harder upon +her when everything thus merged into the light of common +day. She walked very fast up Grange Lane, which was +another habit of her maidenhood not quite in accord with +the habit of sauntering acquired during the same period by +the Fellow of All-Souls. When Mrs Morgan was opposite +Mr Wodehouse's, she looked across with some interest, +thinking of Lucy; and it shocked her greatly to see the +closed shutters, which told of the presence of death. Then, +a little farther up, she could see Elsworthy in front of his +shop, which was already closed, talking vehemently to a +little group round the door. The Rector's wife crossed the +street, to avoid coming into contact with this excited party; +and, as she went swiftly along under the garden-walls, +came direct, without perceiving it, upon Mr Wentworth, +who was going the opposite way. They were both absorbed +in their own thoughts, the Perpetual Curate only perceiving +Mrs Morgan in time to take off his hat to her as he +passed; and, to tell the truth, having no desire for any +further intercourse. Mrs Morgan, however, was of a +different mind. She stopped instantly, as soon as she +perceived him. "Mr Wentworth, it is getting late—will +you walk with me as far as the Rectory?" she said, to the +Curate's great astonishment. He could not help looking at +her with curiosity as he turned to accompany her. Mrs +Morgan was still wearing her wedding things, which were +not now in their first freshness—not to say that the +redness, of which she was so painfully sensible, was rather +out of accordance with the orange blossoms. Then she was +rather flurried and disturbed in her mind; and, on the +whole, Mr Wentworth ungratefully concluded the Rector's +wife to be looking her plainest, as he turned with very +languid interest to see her safely home.</p> + +<p>"A great many things seem to be happening just now," +said Mrs Morgan, with a good deal of embarrassment; "I +suppose the people in Carlingford are grateful to anybody +who gives them something to talk about."</p> + +<p>"I don't know about the gratitude," said the Perpetual +Curate; "it is a sentiment I don't believe in."</p> + +<p>"You ought to believe in everything as long as you are +young," said Mrs Morgan. "I want very much to speak to +you, Mr Wentworth; but then I don't know how you will +receive what I am going to say."</p> + +<p>"I can't tell until I know what it is," said the Curate, +shutting himself up. He had an expressive face generally, +and Mrs Morgan saw the shutters put up, and the jealous +blinds drawn over the young man's countenance as clearly +as if they had been tangible articles. He did not look at +her, but kept swinging his cane in his hand, and regarding +the pavement with downcast eyes; and if the Rector's +wife had formed any expectations of finding in the +Perpetual Curate an ingenuous young heart, open to +sympathy and criticism, she now discovered her mistake.</p> + +<p>"If I run the risk, perhaps you will forgive me," said +Mrs Morgan. "I have just been hearing a dreadful story +about you; and I don't believe it in the least, Mr Wentworth," +she continued, with a little effusion; for though +she was very sensible, she was only a woman, and did not +realise the possibility of having her sympathy rejected, +and her favourable judgment received with indifference.</p> + +<p>"I am much flattered by your good opinion. What was +the dreadful story?" asked Mr Wentworth, looking at her +with careless eyes. They were just opposite Elsworthy's +shop, and could almost hear what he was saying, as he +stood in the midst of his little group of listeners, talking +loud and vehemently. The Perpetual Curate looked calmly +at him across the road, and turned again to Mrs Morgan, +repeating his question, "What was the dreadful story?—one +gets used to romances," he said, with a composure too +elaborate to be real; but Mrs Morgan did not think of that.</p> + +<p>"If you don't care about it, I need not say anything," +said the Rector's wife, who could not help feeling affronted. +"But I am so sorry that Mr Morgan and you don't get on," +she continued, after a little pause. "I have no right to +speak; but I take an interest in everything that belongs to +the parish. If you would put a little confidence in my +husband, things might go on better; but, in the mean time, +I thought I might say to you, on my own account, that I +had heard this scandal, and that I don't believe in it. If +you do not understand my motive I can't help it," said the +Rector's wife, who was now equally ready for friendship +or for battle.</p> + +<p>"Thanks; I understand what you mean," said Mr +Wentworth, who had come to himself. "But will you tell +me what it is you don't believe in?" he asked, with a smile +which Mrs Morgan did not quite comprehend.</p> + +<p>"I will tell you," she said, with a little quiet exasperation. +"I don't think you would risk your prospects, and get +yourself into trouble, and damage your entire life, for the +sake of any girl, however pretty she might be. Men don't +do such things for women nowadays, even when it is a +worthy object," said the disappointed optimist. "And I +believe you are a great deal more sensible, Mr Wentworth." +There was just that tone of mingled approval and +contempt in this speech which a woman knows how to +deliver herself of without any appearance of feeling; and +which no young man, however <i>blasé</i>, can hear with composure.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not," he said, with a little heat and a rising +colour. "I am glad you think me so sensible." And then +there ensued a pause, upon the issue of which depended +the question of peace or war between these two. Mr +Wentworth's good angel, perhaps, dropped softly through +the dusky air at that moment, and jogged his perverse +charge with the tip of a celestial wing. "And yet there +might be women in the world for whom—" said the Curate; +and stopped again. "I daresay you are not anxious to know +my sentiments on the subject," he continued, with a little +laugh. "I am sorry you think so badly—I mean so well of +me."</p> + +<p>"I don't think badly of you," said Mrs Morgan, hastily. +"Thank you for walking with me; and whatever happens, +remember that I for one don't believe a word of it," she +said, holding out her hand. After this little declaration of +friendship, the Rector's wife returned to the Rectory, +where her husband was waiting for her, more than ever +prepared to stand up for Mr Wentworth. She went back to +the drawing-room, forgetting all about the carpet, and +poured out the tea with satisfaction, and made herself +very agreeable to Mr Finial, the architect, who had come +to talk over the restorations. In that moment of stimulation +she forgot all her experience of her husband's puzzled +looks, of the half-comprehension with which he looked at +her, and the depths of stubborn determination which were +far beyond the reach of her hastier and more generous +spirit, and so went on with more satisfaction and gaiety +than she had felt possible for a long time, beating her +drums and blowing her trumpets, to the encounter in +which her female forces were so confident of victory.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXIX"></a>CHAPTER XXIX.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Mr Wentworth</span> went upon his way, after he had parted +from Mrs Morgan, with a moment's gratitude; but he had +not gone half-a-dozen steps before that amiable sentiment +yielded to a sense of soreness and vexation. He had almost +acknowledged that he was conscious of the slander against +which he had made up his mind to present a blank front of +unconsciousness and passive resistance, and he was angry +with himself for his susceptibility to this unexpected voice +of kindness. He was going home, but he did not care for +going home. Poor Mrs Hadwin's anxious looks of suspicion +had added to the distaste with which he thought of +encountering again the sullen shabby rascal to whom he +had given shelter. It was Saturday night, and he had still +his sermon to prepare for the next day; but the young man +was in a state of disgust with all the circumstances of his +lot, and could not make up his mind to go in and address +himself to his work as he ought to have done. Such a sense +of injustice and cruelty as possessed him was not likely to +promote composition, especially as the pulpit addresses of +the Curate of St Roque's were not of a declamatory kind. +To think that so many years' work could be neutralised in +a day by a sudden breath of scandal, made him not +humble or patient, but fierce and resentful. He had been +in Wharfside that afternoon, and felt convinced that even +the dying woman at No. 10 Prickett's Lane had heard of +Rosa Elsworthy; and he saw, or imagined he saw, many a +distrustful inquiring glance thrown at him by people to +whom he had been a kind of secondary Providence. +Naturally the mere thought of the failing allegiance of the +"district" went to Mr Wentworth's heart. When he turned +round suddenly from listening to a long account of one +poor family's distresses, and saw Tom Burrows, the gigantic +bargeman, whose six children the Curate had baptised +in a lump, and whose baby had been held at the font by +Lucy Wodehouse herself, looking at him wistfully with +rude affection, and something that looked very much like +pity, it is impossible to describe the bitterness that welled +up in the mind of the Perpetual Curate. Instead of leaving +Wharfside comforted as he usually did, he came away +wounded and angry, feeling to its full extent the fickleness +of popular sympathy. And when he came into Grange +Lane and saw the shutters closed, and Mr Wodehouse's +green door shut fast, as if never more to open, all sources +of consolation seemed to be shut against him. Even the +habit he had of going into Elsworthy's to get his newspaper, +and to hear what talk might be current in Carlingford, +contributed to the sense of utter discomfort and +wretchedness which overwhelmed him. Men in other positions +have generally to consult the opinion of their equals +only; but all sorts of small people can plant thorns in the +path of a priest who has given himself with fervour to the +duties of his office. True enough, such clouds blow by, and +sometimes leave behind a sky clearer than before; but that +result is doubtful, and Mr Wentworth was not of the +temper to comfort himself with philosophy. He felt ingratitude +keenly, as men do at eight-and-twenty, even when +they have made up their minds that gratitude is a delusion; +and still more keenly, with deep resentment and indignation, +he felt the horrible doubt which had diffused itself +around him, and seemed to be looking at him out of +everybody's eyes. In such a state of mind one bethinks +one's self of one's relations—those friends not always +congenial, but whom one looks to instinctively, when one +is young, in the crisis of life. He knocked at his aunts' door +almost without knowing it, as he went down Grange Lane, +after leaving Mrs Morgan, with vague sentences of his +sermon floating in his mind through all the imbroglio of +other thoughts. Even aunt Dora's foolish affection might +have been a little comfort at the moment, and he could not +but be a little curious to know whether they had heard +Elsworthy's story, and what the patronesses of Skelmersdale +thought of the matter. Somehow, just then, in the +midst of his distresses, a vision of Skelmersdale burst upon +the Perpetual Curate like a glimpse of a better world. If +he could but escape there out of all this sickening misconception +and ingratitude—if he could but take Lucy into his +protecting arms, and carry her away far from the clouds +that were gathering over her path as well as his own. The +thought found vent in an impatient long-drawn sigh, and +was then expelled contemptuously from the young man's +bosom. If a hundred Skelmersdales were in his power, +here, where his honour had been attacked, it was necessary +to remain, in the face of all obstacles, till it was +cleared.</p> + +<p>The Miss Wentworths had just come up to the drawing-room +after dinner when their nephew entered. As for Miss +Dora, she had seated herself by the window, which was +open, and, with her light little curls fluttering upon her +cheek, was watching a tiny puff of smoke by the side of +the great laurel, which indicated the spot occupied at this +moment by Jack and his cigar. "Dear fellow, he does +enjoy the quiet," she said, with a suppressed little sniff of +emotion. "To think we should be in such a misery about +poor dear Frank, and have Jack, about whom we have all +been so unbelieving, sent to us for a consolation. My poor +brother will be so happy," said Miss Dora, almost crying +at the thought. She was under the influence of this sentiment +when the Curate entered. It was perhaps impossible +for Mr Wentworth to present himself before his three +aunts at the present crisis without a certain consciousness +in his looks; and it was well that it was twilight, and he +could not read distinctly all that was written in their +countenances. Miss Cecilia held out her lovely old hand to +him first of all. She said, "How do you do, Frank?" which +was not very original, but yet counted for a good deal in +the silence. When he came up to her, she offered him her +sweet old cheek with a look of pity which touched, and yet +affronted, the Perpetual Curate. He thought it was the +wisest way to accept the challenge at once.</p> + +<p>"It is very good of you, but you need not be sorry for +me," he said, as he sat down by her. And then there was a +little pause—an awful pause; for Miss Wentworth had no +further observations to offer, and Miss Dora, who had +risen up hastily, dropped into her chair again in a disconsolate +condition, when she saw that her nephew did not +take any notice of her. The poor little woman sat down +with miserable sensations, and did not find the comfort she +hoped for in contemplation of the smoke of Jack's cigar. +After all, it was Frank who was the original owner of Miss +Dora's affections. When she saw him, as she thought, in a +state of guilt and trouble, received with grim silence by +the dreaded Leonora, the poor lady began to waver +greatly, divided between a longing to return to her old +allegiance, and a certain pride in the new bonds which +bound her to so great a sinner as Jack. She could not help +feeling the distinction of having such a reprobate in her +hands. But the sight of Frank brought back old habits, and +Miss Dora felt at her wits' end, and could not tell what to +do.</p> + +<p>At length Miss Leonora's voice, which was decided +contralto, broke the silence. "I am very glad to see you, +Frank," said the strong-minded aunt. "From something +we heard, I supposed you had gone away for a time, and +we were rather anxious about your movements. There are +so many things going on in the family just now, that one +does not know what to think. I am glad to see you are still +in Carlingford."</p> + +<p>"I never had the least intention of going away," said Mr +Wentworth. "I can't imagine who could tell you so."</p> + +<p>"Nobody told us," said Miss Leonora; "we drew that +conclusion from other things we heard. Dora, give Frank +the newspaper with that paragraph about Gerald. I have +prophesied from the very first which way Gerald was +tending. It is very shocking of him, and I don't know what +they are to do, for Louisa is an expensive little fool; and if +he leaves the Rectory, they can't have enough to live on. +If you knew what your brother was going to do, why didn't +you advise him otherwise? Besides, he will be wretched," +said the discriminating woman. "I never approved of his +ways, but I could not say anything against his sincerity. I +believe his heart was in his work; a man may be very +zealous, and yet very erroneous," said Miss Leonora, like +an oracle, out of the shadows.</p> + +<p>"I don't know if he is erroneous or not—but I know I +should like to punch this man's head," said the Curate, +who had taken the paper to the window, where there was +just light enough to make out the paragraph. He stood +looming over Miss Dora, a great black shadow against the +fading light. "All the mischief in the world comes of these +villanous papers," said Mr Wentworth. "Though I did not +think anybody nowadays believed in the 'Chronicle.' +Gerald has not gone over to Rome, and I don't think he +means to go. I daresay you have agitated yourselves +unnecessarily about more than one supposed event in the +family," he continued, throwing the paper on the table. "I +don't know anything very alarming that has happened as +yet, except, perhaps, the prodigal's return," said the +Perpetual Curate, with a slight touch of bitterness. His eye +had just lighted on Jack sauntering through the garden +with his cigar; and Mr Wentworth was human, and could +not entirely refrain from the expression of his sentiments.</p> + +<p>"But oh, Frank, my dear, you are not angry about poor +Jack?" said Miss Dora. "He has not known what it was to +be at home for years and years. A stepmother is so +different from an own mother, and he never has had any +opportunities; and oh, Frank, don't you remember that +there is joy in heaven?" cried the anxious aunt—"not to +say that he is the eldest son. And it is such a thing for the +family to see him changing his ways in such a beautiful +spirit!" said Miss Dora. The room was almost dark by this +time, and she did not see that her penitent had entered +while she spoke.</p> + +<p>"It is very consoling to gain your approval, aunt Dora," +said Jack. "My brother Frank doesn't know me. If the +Squire <i>will</i> make a nursery of his house, what can a man +do? But a fellow can't be quite ruined as long as he has—" +aunts, the reprobate was about to say, with an inflection of +laughter intended for Frank's ear only in his voice; but he +fortunately remembered in time that Miss Leonora had an +acute intelligence, and was not to be trifled with—"As long +as he has female relations," said Jack, in his most feeling +tone. "Men never sympathise with men." He seemed to +be apologising for Frank's indifference, as well as for his +own sins. He had just had a very good dinner—for the +Miss Wentworths' cook was the best in Carlingford—and +Jack, whose digestion was perfect, was disposed to please +everybody, and had, in particular, no disposition to +quarrel with Frank.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my dear, you see how humble and forgiving he +is," said Miss Dora, rising on tiptoe to whisper into the +Curate's ear; "and always takes your part whenever you +are mentioned," said the injudicious aunt. Meantime the +other sisters were very silent, sitting each in the midst of +her own group of shadows. Then Miss Leonora rose with a +sudden rustling of all her draperies, and with her own +energetic hand rang the bell.</p> + +<p>"Now the lamp is coming," said Jack, in a tone of +despair, "a bright, blank, pitiless globe like the world; and +instead of this delicious darkness, where one can see +nothing distinctly, my heart will be torn asunder for the +rest of the evening by the sight of suicide. Why do we ever +have lights?" said the exquisite, laying himself down softly +on a sofa. When the lamp was brought in, Jack became +visible stretched out in an attitude of perfect repose and +tranquillity, with a quiet conscience written in every fold +of his scrupulous apparel. As for Frank, on the contrary, +he was still in morning dress, and was biting his nails, and +had a cloud upon his brow which the sudden light disclosed +like a traitor before he was prepared for it. Between the +two brothers such a contrast was visible that it was not +surprising if Miss Dora, still wavering in her allegiance, +went back with relief to the calm countenance of her +penitent, and owned to herself with trembling that the +Curate looked preoccupied and guilty. Perhaps Miss +Leonora came to a similar conclusion. She seated herself +at her writing-table with her usual air of business, and +made a pen to a hard point by the light of the candles, +which were sacred to her particular use.</p> + +<p>"I heard some news this morning which pleased me +very much," said Miss Leonora. "I daresay you remember +Julia Trench? You two used to be a great deal together at +one time. She is going to be married to Mr Shirley's +excellent curate, who is a young man of the highest +character. He did very well at the university, I believe," +said the patroness of Skelmersdale; "but I confess I don't +care much for academical honours. He is an excellent +clergyman, which is a great deal more to the purpose, and +I thoroughly agree with his views. So, knowing the interest +we take in Julia, you may think how pleased we were," +said Miss Leonora, looking full into her nephew's face. He +knew what she meant as distinctly as if she had put it in +words.</p> + +<p>"When is old Shirley going to die?" said Jack from the +sofa. "It's rather hard upon Frank, keeping him out of the +living so long; and if I were you, I'd be jealous of this +model curate," said the fine gentleman, with a slight civil +yawn. "I don't approve of model curates upon family +livings. People are apt to make comparisons," said Jack, +and then he raised his head with a little energy—"Ah, +there it is," said the Sybarite, "the first moth. Don't be +precipitate, my dear fellow. Aunt Dora, pray sit quietly +where you are, and don't disturb our operations. It is only +a moth, to be sure; but don't let us cut short the moments +of a creature that has no hereafter," said Jack, solemnly. +He disturbed them all by this eccentric manifestation of +benevolence, and flapped his handkerchief round Miss +Dora, upon whose white cap the unlucky moth, frightened +by its benefactor's vehemence, was fluttering wildly. Jack +even forgot himself so far as to swear softly in French at +the frightened insect as it flew wildly off at a tangent, not +to the open window, but to Miss Leonora's candles, where +it came to an immediate end. Miss Leonora sat rather +grimly looking on at all this byplay. When her elegant +nephew threw himself back once more upon his sofa, she +glanced from him to his brother with a comparison which +perhaps was not so much to the disadvantage of the +Perpetual Curate. But even Miss Leonora, though so +sensible, had her weaknesses; and she was very evangelical, +and could put up with a great deal from the sinner who had +placed himself for conversion in her hands.</p> + +<p>"We have too great a sense of our responsibility to treat +Skelmersdale simply as a family living," she said. +"Besides, Frank of course is to have Wentworth Rectory. +Gerald's perversion is a great blow; but still, if it <i>is</i> to be, +Frank will be provided for at least. As for our parish—"</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon," said the Curate; "I have not the +least intention of leaving Carlingford. At the present +moment neither Skelmersdale nor Wentworth would +tempt me. I am in no doubt as to where my work lies, and +there is enough of it to satisfy any man." He could not +help thinking, as he spoke, of ungrateful Wharfside, for +which he had done so much, and the recollection brought a +little flush of indignant colour to his cheek.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank, my dear," said Miss Dora in a whisper, +stealing up to him, "if it is not true, you must not mind. +Oh, my dear boy, nobody will mind it if it is not true." She +put her hand timidly upon his arm as she reached up to his +ear, and at the same time the poor little woman, who was +trying all she could to serve two masters, kept one eye +upon Jack, lest her momentary return to his brother might +have a disastrous effect upon the moral reformation which +she was nursing with so much care. As for the Curate, he +gave her a hasty glance, which very nearly made an end +of Miss Dora. She retired to her seat with no more courage +to say anything, unable to make out whether it was +virtuous reproach or angry guilt which looked at her so +sternly. She felt her headache coming on as she sank again +upon her chair. If she could but have stolen away to her +own room, and had a good comforting cry in the dark, it +might have kept off the headache; but then she had to be +faithful to her post, and to look after the reformation of +Jack.</p> + +<p>"I have no doubt that a great work might be done in +Carlingford," said Miss Leonora, "if you would take my +advice and organise matters properly, and make due +provision for the lay element. As for Sisters of Mercy, I +never had any belief in them. They only get young clergymen +into mischief," said the strong-minded aunt. "We are +going to have tea, Frank, if you will have some. Poor Mr +Shirley has got matters into very bad order at Skelmersdale, +but things will be different under the new incumbent, +I hope," said Miss Leonora, shooting a side-glance +of keen inspection at the Curate, who bore it steadily.</p> + +<p>"I hope he will conduct himself to your satisfaction," +said Mr Wentworth, with a bland but somewhat grim +aspect, from the window; "but I can't wait for tea. I have +still got some of my work to do for to-morrow; so good-night."</p> + +<p>"I'll walk with you, Frank," said his elder brother. "My +dear aunts, don't look alarmed; nothing can happen to me. +There are few temptations in Grange Lane; and, besides, +I shall come back directly. <i>I</i> cannot do without my tea," +said Jack, by way of consoling poor Miss Dora, who had +started with consternation at the proposal. And the two +brothers went out into the fresh evening air together, their +aunt Dora watching them from the window with +inexpressible anxiety; for perhaps it was not quite right for +a clergyman to saunter out of doors in the evening with +such a doubtful member of society as Jack; and perhaps +Frank, having himself fallen into evil ways, might hinder +or throw obstacles in the way of his brother's re-establishment +in the practice of all the virtues. Miss Dora, who had +to carry them both upon her shoulders, and who got no +sympathy in the present case from her hard-hearted +sisters, was fain at last to throw a shawl over her head and +steal out to that summer-house which was built into the +garden-wall, and commanded Grange Lane from its little +window. There she established herself in the darkness, an +affectionate spy. There ought to have been a moon that +night, and accordingly the lamps were not lighted at that +end of Grange Lane, for the authorities in Carlingford +bore a frugal mind. But the sky had become cloudy, and +the moon shone only at intervals, which gave a certain +character of mystery and secrecy to the night. Through +this uncertain light the anxious woman saw her two +nephews coming and going under the window, apparently +in the most eager conversation. Miss Dora's anxiety grew +to such a height that she opened softly a chink of the +window in hopes of being able to hear as well as to see, but +that attempt was altogether unsuccessful. Then, when +they had walked about for half an hour, which looked like +two hours to Miss Dora, who was rapidly taking one of her +bad colds at the half-open window, they were joined by +another figure which she did not think she had ever seen +before. The excitement was growing tremendous, and the +aspect of the three conspirators more and more alarming, +when the poor lady started with a little scream at a noise +behind her, and turning round, saw her maid, severe as a +pursuing Fate, standing at the door. "After giving me your +word as you wouldn't come no more?" said the reproachful +despot who swayed Miss Dora's soul. After that she had to +make the best of her way indoors, thankful not to be +carried to her room and put into hot water, which was the +original intention of Collins. But it would be impossible to +describe the emotions of Miss Dora's mind after this +glimpse into the heart of the volcano on which her innocent +feet were standing. Unless it were murder or high treason, +what could they have to plot about? or was the mysterious +stranger a disguised Jesuit, and the whole business some +terrible Papist conspiracy? Jack, who had been so much +abroad, and Gerald, who was going over to Rome, and +Frank, who was in trouble of every description, got +entangled together in Miss Dora's disturbed imagination. +No reality could be so frightful as the fancies with which +she distracted herself after that peep from the summer-house; +and it would be impossible to describe the indignation +of Collins, who knew that her mistress would kill +herself some day, and was aware that she, in her own +person, would get little rest that night.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXX" id="CHAPTER_XXX"></a>CHAPTER XXX.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">I don't</span> know what is the exact connection between tea +and reformation," said Jack Wentworth, with a wonderful +yawn. "When I consider that this is all on account of that +stupid beast Wodehouse, I feel disposed to eat him. By +the way, they have got a capital cook; I did not think such +a <i>cuisine</i> was the sort of thing to be found in the bosom of +one's family, which has meant boiled mutton up to this +moment, to my uninstructed imagination. But the old +ladies are in a state of excitement which, I presume, is +unusual to them. It appears you have been getting into +scrapes like other people, though you are a parson. As your +elder brother, my dear Frank—"</p> + +<p>"Look here," said the Perpetual Curate; "you want to +ask about Wodehouse. I will answer your questions, since +you seem to have some interest in him; but I don't speak +of my private affairs to any but my intimate friends," said +Mr Wentworth, who was not in a humour to be trifled with.</p> + +<p>The elder brother shrugged his shoulders. "It is curious +to remark the progress of the younger members of one's +family," he said, reflectively. "When you were a little +boy, you took your drubbings dutifully; but never mind, +we've another subject in hand. I take an interest in +Wodehouse, and so do you—I can't tell for what reason. +Perhaps he is one of the intimate friends with whom you +discuss your private affairs? but that is a matter quite +apart from the subject. The thing is that he has to be taken +care of—not for his own sake, as I don't need to explain to +you," said Jack. "I hear the old fellow died today, which +was the best thing he could have done, upon the whole. +Perhaps you can tell me how much he had, and how he +has left it? We may have to take different sides, and the +fellow himself is a snob; but I should like to understand +exactly the state of affairs between you and me as gentlemen," +said the heir of the Wentworths. Either a passing +spasm of compunction passed over him as he said the +word, or it was the moon, which had just flung aside the last +fold of cloud and burst out upon them as they turned back +facing her. "When we know how the affair stands, we can +either negotiate or fight," he added, puffing a volume of +smoke from his cigar. "Really a very fine effect—that +little church of yours comes well against that bit of sky. It +looks like a Constable, or rather it would look like a +Constable, thrusting up that bit of spire into the blue, if it +happened to be daylight," said Jack, making a tube of his +hand, and regarding the picture with great interest. Miss +Dora at her window beheld the movement with secret horror +and apprehension, and took it for some mysterious sign.</p> + +<p>"I know nothing about Mr Wodehouse's property," said +the Curate: "I wish I knew enough law to understand it. +He has left no will, I believe;" and Mr Wentworth watched +his brother's face with no small interest as he spoke.</p> + +<p>"Very like a Constable," said Jack, still with his hands +to his eyes. "These clouds to the right are not a bad +imitation of some effects of his. I beg your pardon, but +Constable is my passion. And so old Wodehouse has left +no will? What <i>has</i> he left? some daughters? Excuse my +curiosity," said the elder brother. "I am a man of the +world, you know. If you like this other girl well enough to +compromise yourself on her account (which, mind you, I +think a great mistake), you can't mean to go in at the same +time for that pretty sister, eh? It's a sort of sport I don't +attempt myself—though it may be the correct thing for a +clergyman, for anything I can tell to the contrary," said +the tolerant critic.</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth had swallowed down the interruptions +that rushed to his lips, and heard his brother out with +unusual patience. After all, perhaps Jack was the only +man in the world whom he could ask to advise him in such +an emergency. "I take it for granted that you don't mean +to insult either me or my profession," he said, gravely; +"and, to tell the truth, here is one point upon which I +should be glad of your help. I am convinced that it is +Wodehouse who has carried away this unfortunate girl. +She is a little fool, and he has imposed upon her. If you +can get him to confess this, and to restore her to her +friends, you will lay me under the deepest obligation," +said the Perpetual Curate, with unusual energy. "I don't +mind telling you that such a slander disables me, and goes +to my heart." When he had once begun to speak on the +subject, he could not help expressing himself fully; and +Jack, who had grown out of acquaintance with the nobler +sentiments, woke up with a slight start through all his +moral being to recognise the thrill of subdued passion and +scorn and grief which was in his brother's voice. Innocent +Miss Dora, who knew no evil, had scarcely a doubt in <i>her</i> +mind that Frank was guilty; but Jack, who scarcely knew +what goodness was, acquitted his brother instantaneously, +and required no other proof. Perhaps if he had been +capable of any impression beyond an intellectual one, this +little incident might, in Miss Dora's own language, have +"done him good."</p> + +<p>"So you have nothing to do with it?" he said, with a +smile. "Wodehouse! but then the fellow hasn't a penny. I +see some one skulking along under the walls that looks like +him. Hist! Smith—Tom—what do they call you? We want +you here," said Jack, upon whom the moon was shining +full. When he stood in his evening coat and spotless +breadth of linen, the heir of the Wentworths was ready to +meet the eye of all the world. His shabby subordinate +stopped short, with a kind of sullen admiration, to look at +him. Wodehouse knew the nature of Jack Wentworth's +pursuits a great deal better than his brother did, and that +some of them would not bear much investigation; but +when he saw him stand triumphant in gorgeous apparel, +fearing no man, the poor rascal, whom everybody kicked +at, rose superior to his own misfortunes. He had not made +much of it in his own person, but that life was not +altogether a failure which had produced Jack Wentworth. +He obeyed his superior's call with instinctive fidelity, +proud, in spite of himself, to be living the same life and +sharing the same perils. When he emerged into the moonlight, +his shaggy countenance looked excited and haggard. +Notwithstanding all his experiences, he was not of a +constitution which could deny nature. He had inflicted +every kind of torture upon his father while living; but, +notwithstanding, the fact of the death affected him. His +eyes looked wilder than usual, and his face older and more +worn, and he looked round him with a kind of clandestine +skulking instinct as he came out of the shadow into the light.</p> + +<p>This was the terrible conjunction which Miss Dora saw +from her window. The anxious woman did not wait long +enough to be aware that the Curate left the other two to +such consultations as were inevitable between them, and +went away very hastily to his own house, and to the work +which still awaited him—"When the wicked man turneth +away from the evil of his ways, and doeth that which is +lawful and right." Mr Wentworth, when he came back to +it, sat for about an hour over his text before he wrote a +single syllable. His heart had been wrung that day by the +sharpest pangs which can be inflicted upon a proud and +generous spirit. He was disposed to be bitter against all +the world—against the dull eyes that would not see, the +dull ears that could shut themselves against all suggestions +either of gratitude or justice. It appeared to him, on the +whole, that the wicked man was every way the best off in +this world, besides being wooed and besought to accept +the blessings of the other. And the Curate was conscious of +an irrepressible inclination to exterminate the human +vermin who made the earth such an imbroglio of distress +and misery; and was sore and wounded in his heart to feel +how his own toils and honest purposes availed him nothing, +and how all the interest and sympathy of bystanders went +to the pretender. These sentiments naturally complicated +his thoughts, and made composition difficult; not to say +that they added a thrill of human feeling warmer than +usual to the short and succinct sermon. It was not an +emotional sermon, in the ordinary sense of the word; but it +was so for Mr Wentworth, who carried to an extreme point +the Anglican dislike for pulpit exaggeration in all forms. +The Perpetual Curate was not a natural orator. He had +very little of the eloquence which gave Mr Vincent so +much success in the Dissenting connection during his short +stay in Carlingford, which was a kind of popularity not +much to the taste of the Churchman. But Mr Wentworth +had a certain faculty of concentrating his thoughts into the +tersest expression, and of uttering in a very few words, as +if they did not mean anything particular, ideas which were +always individual, and often of distinct originality—a kind +of utterance which is very dear to the English mind. As was +natural, there were but a limited amount of people able +to find him out; but those who did so were rather fond of +talking about the "restrained power" of the Curate of St +Roque's.</p> + +<p>Next morning was a glorious summer Sunday—one of +those days of peace on which this tired old earth takes +back her look of innocence, and deludes herself with +thoughts of Eden. To be sure, there were tumults enough +going on over her surface—vulgar merry-makings and +noises, French drums beating, all kinds of discordant +sounds going on here and there, by land and sea, under +that tranquil impartial sun. But the air was very still in +Carlingford, where you could hear the bees in the lime-blossoms +as you went to church in the sunshine. All that +world of soft air in which the embowered houses of Grange +Lane lay beatified, was breathing sweet of the limes; but +notwithstanding the radiance of the day, people were +talking of other subjects as they came down under the +shadow of the garden-walls to St Roque's. There was a +great stream of people—greater than usual; for Carlingford +was naturally anxious to see how Mr Wentworth would +conduct himself in such an emergency. On one side of the +way Mr Wodehouse's hospitable house, shut up closely, +and turning all its shuttered windows to the light, which +shone serenely indifferent upon the blank frames, stood +silent, dumbly contributing its great moral to the human +holiday; and on the other, Elsworthy's closed shop, with +the blinds drawn over the cheerful windows above, where +little Rosa once amused herself watching the passengers, +interposed a still more dreadful discordance. The Carlingford +people talked of both occurrences with composure as +they went to St Roque's. They were sorry, and shocked, +and very curious; but that wonderful moral atmosphere of +human indifference and self-regard which surrounds every +individual soul, kept their feelings quite within bounds. +Most people wondered much what Mr Wentworth would +say; whether he would really venture to face the Carlingford +world; whether he would take refuge in a funeral +sermon for Mr Wodehouse; or how it was possible for him +to conduct himself under such circumstances. When the +greater part of the congregation was seated, Miss Leonora +Wentworth, all by herself, in her iron-grey silk, which +rustled like a breeze along the narrow passage, although +she wore no crinoline, went up to a seat immediately in +front, close to Mr Wentworth's choristers, who just then +came trooping in in their white surplices, looking like +angels of unequal height and equivocal reputation. Miss +Leonora placed herself in the front row of a little group of +benches arranged at the side, just where the Curate's wife +would have been placed, had he possessed such an +appendage. She looked down blandly upon the many lines +of faces turned towards her, accepting their inspection +with perfect composure. Though her principles were +Evangelical, Miss Leonora was still a Wentworth, and a +woman. She had not shown any sympathy for her nephew +on the previous night; but she had made up her mind to +stand by him, without saying anything about her determination. +This incident made a great impression on the +mind of Carlingford. Most likely it interfered with the +private devotions, from which a few heads popped up +abruptly as she passed; but she was very devout and +exemplary in her own person, and set a good example, as +became the clergyman's aunt.</p> + +<p>Excitement rose very high in St Roque's when Mr +Wentworth came into the reading-desk, and Elsworthy, +black as a cloud, became visible underneath. The clerk +had not ventured to absent himself, nor to send a substitute +in his place. Never, in the days when he was most devoted +to Mr Wentworth, had Elsworthy been more determined +to accompany him through every particular of the service. +They had stood together in the little vestry, going through +all the usual preliminaries, the Curate trying hard to talk +as if nothing had happened, the clerk going through all his +duties in total silence. Perhaps there never was a church +service in Carlingford which was followed with such intense +interest by all the eyes and ears of the congregation. +When the sermon came, it took Mr Wentworth's admirers +by surprise, though they could not at the moment make +out what it was that puzzled them. Somehow the perverse +manner in which for once the Curate treated that wicked +man who is generally made so much of in sermons, made +his hearers slightly ashamed of themselves. As for Miss +Leonora, though she could not approve of his sentiments, +the thought occurred to her that Frank was not nearly so +like his mother's family as she had supposed him to be. +When the service was over, she kept her place, steadily +watching all the worshippers out, who thronged out a great +deal more hastily than usual to compare notes, and ask +each other what they thought. "I can't fancy he looks +guilty," an eager voice here and there kept saying over +and over. But on the whole, after they had got over the +momentary impression made by his presence and aspect, +the opinion of Carlingford remained unchanged; which +was—that, notwithstanding all the evidence of his previous +life, it was quite believable that Mr Wentworth was a +seducer and a villain, and ought to be brought to condign +punishment; but that in the mean time it was very +interesting to watch the progress of this startling little +drama; and that he himself, instead of merely being the +Curate of St Roque's, had become a most captivating +enigma, and had made church-going itself half as good as a +play.</p> + +<p>As for Miss Leonora, she waited for her nephew, and, +when he was ready, took his arm and walked with him up +Grange Lane to her own door, where they encountered +Miss Wentworth and Miss Dora returning from church, +and overwhelmed them with astonishment. But it was not +about his own affairs that they talked. Miss Leonora did +not say a word to her nephew about himself. She was +talking of Gerald most of the time, and inquiring into all +the particulars of the Squire's late "attack." And she +would very fain have found out what Jack's motive was in +coming to Carlingford; but as for Rosa Elsworthy and her +concerns, the strong-minded woman ignored them completely. +Mr Wentworth even went with her to lunch, on +her urgent invitation; and it was from his aunts' house that +he took his way to Wharfside, pausing at the green door to +ask after the Miss Wodehouses, who were, John said, +with solemnity, as well as could be expected. They were +alone, and they did not feel equal to seeing anybody—even +Mr Wentworth; and the Perpetual Curate, who +would have given all he had in the world for permission to +soothe Lucy in her sorrow, went away sadly from the +hospitable door, which was now for the first time closed to +him. He could not go to Wharfside, to the "district" +through which they had so often gone together, about +which they had talked, when all the little details discussed +were sweet with the love which they did not name, +without going deeper and deeper into that sweet shadow +of Lucy which was upon his way wherever he went. He +could not help missing her voice when the little choir, +which was so feeble without her, sang the 'Magnificat,' +which, somehow, Mr Wentworth always associated with +her image. He read the same sermon to the Wharfside +people which he had preached in St Roque's, and saw, +with a little surprise, that it drew tears from the eyes of his +more open-hearted hearers, who did not think of the +proprieties. He could see their hands stealing up to their +faces, and a great deal of persistent winking on the part of +the stronger members of the congregation. At the close of +the service Tom Burrows came up to the Curate with a +downcast countenance. "Please, sir, if I've done ye +injustice in my own mind, as went sore against the grain, +and wouldn't have happened but for the women, I axes +your pardon," said the honest bargeman, which was balm +and consolation to Mr Wentworth. There was much talk in +Prickett's Lane on the subject as he went to see the sick +woman in No. 10. "There aint no doubt as he sets our duty +before us clear," said one family mother; "he don't leave +the men no excuse for their goings-on. He all but named +the Bargeman's Arms out plain, as it was the place all +mischief comes from." "If he'd have married Miss Lucy, +like other folks, at Easter," said one of the brides whom +Mr Wentworth had blessed, "such wicked stories couldn't +never have been made up." "A story may be made up, or +it mayn't be made up," said a more experienced matron; +"but it can't be put out of the world unbeknowst no more +nor a babby. I don't believe in stories getting up that aint +true. I don't say as he don't do his duty; but things was +different in Mr Bury's time, as was the real Rector; and, +as I was a-saying, a tale's like a babby—it may come when +it didn't ought to come, or when it aint wanted, but you +can't do away with it, anyhow as you like to try." Mr +Wentworth did not hear this dreary prediction as he went +back again into the upper world. He was in much better +spirits, on the whole. He had calmed his own mind and +moved the hearts of others, which is to every man a +gratification, even though nothing higher should be +involved. And he had regained the moral countenance of +Tom Burrows, which most of all was a comfort to him. +More than ever he longed to go and tell Lucy as he passed +by the green door. Tom Burrows's repentant face recalled +Mr Wentworth's mind to the fact that a great work was +doing in Wharfside, which, after all, was more worth +thinking of than any tantalising vision of an impossible +benefice. But this very thought, so consoling in itself, +reminded him of all his vexations, of the public inquiry +into his conduct which was hanging over him, and of his +want of power to offer to Lucy the support and protection +of which she might so soon stand in need; and having thus +drawn upon his head once more his whole burden of +troubles, Mr Wentworth went in to eat his dinner with +what appetite he could.</p> + +<p>The Perpetual Curate sat up late that night, as indeed +was his custom. He sat late, hearing, as everybody does +who sits up alone in a hushed and sleeping household, a +hundred fantastic creaks and sounds which did not mean +anything, and of which he took no notice. Once, indeed, +when it was nearly midnight, he fancied he heard the +garden-gate close hurriedly, but explained it to himself as +people do when they prefer not to give themselves trouble. +About one o'clock in the morning, however, Mr Wentworth +could no longer be in any doubt that some stealthy step +was passing his door and moving about the house. He was +not alarmed, for Mrs Hadwin had occasional "attacks," +like most people of her age; but he put down his pen and +listened. No other sound was to be heard except this +stealthy step, no opening of doors, nor whisper of voices, +nor commotion of any kind; and after a while Mr Wentworth's +curiosity was fully awakened. When he heard it +again, he opened his door suddenly, and threw a light +upon the staircase and little corridor into which his room +opened. The figure he saw there startled him more than if +it had been a midnight robber. It was only Sarah, the +housemaid, white and shivering with terror, who fell down +upon her knees before him. "Oh, Mr Wentworth, it aint +my fault!" cried Sarah. The poor girl was only partially +dressed, and trembled pitifully. "They'll say it was my +fault; and oh, sir, it's my character I'm a-thinking of," said +Sarah, with a sob; and the Curate saw behind her the door +of Wodehouse's room standing open, and the moonlight +streaming into the empty apartment. "I daren't go down-stairs +to see if he's took anything," cried poor Sarah, +under her breath; "there might be more of them about the +place. But oh, Mr Wentworth, if Missis finds out as I gave +him the key, what will become of me?" Naturally, it was +her own danger which had most effect upon Sarah. Her full, +good-humoured face was all wet and stained with crying, +her lips quivering, her eyes dilated. Perhaps a thrill of +private disappointment mingled with her dread of losing +her character. "He used to tell me all as he was a-going to +do," said Sarah; "but, oh, sir, he's been and gone away, +and I daren't go down-stairs to look at the plate, and I'll +never more sleep in quiet, if I was to live a century. It aint +as I care for <i>him</i>, but it's the key and my character as I'm +a-thinking of," cried the poor girl, bursting into audible +sobs that could be restrained no longer. Mr Wentworth +took a candle and went into Wodehouse's empty room, +leaving her to recover her composure. Everything was +cleared and packed up in that apartment. The little +personal property he had, the shabby boots and worn +habiliments, had disappeared totally; even the rubbish of +wood-carving on his table was cleared away. Not a trace +that he had been there a few hours ago remained in the +place. The Curate came out of the room with an anxious +countenance, not knowing what to make of it. And by this +time Sarah's sobs had roused Mrs Hadwin, who stood, +severe and indignant, at her own door in her nightcap, to +know what was the matter. Mr Wentworth retired into his +own apartments after a word of explanation, leaving the +mistress and maid to fight it out. He himself was more +disturbed and excited than he could have described. He +could not tell what this new step meant, but felt instinctively +that it denoted some new development in the +tangled web of his own fortunes. Some hidden danger +seemed to him to be gathering in the air over the house of +mourning, of which he had constituted himself a kind of +guardian. He could not sleep all night, but kept starting at +every sound, thinking now that the skulking rascal, who +was Lucy's brother, was coming back, and now that his +departure was only a dream. Mr Wentworth's restlessness +was not soothed by hearing all the night through, in the +silence of the house, suppressed sobs and sounds of +weeping proceeding from the attic overhead, which poor +Sarah shared with her fellow-servant. Perhaps the civilities +of "the gentleman" had dazzled Sarah, and been too much +for her peace of mind; perhaps it was only her character, +as the poor girl said. But as often as the Curate started +from his uneasy and broken snatches of sleep, he heard +the murmur of crying and consoling up-stairs. Outside the +night was spreading forth those sweetest unseen glories of +the starlight and the moonlight and the silence, which +Nature reserves for her own enjoyment, when the weary +human creatures are out of the way and at rest;—and Jack +Wentworth slept the sleep of the righteous, uttering delicate +little indications of the depth of his slumber, which it +would have been profane to call by any vulgar name. <i>He</i> +slept sweetly while his brother watched and longed for +daylight, impatient for the morrow which must bring forth +something new. The moonlight streamed full into the +empty room, and made mysterious combinations of the +furniture, and chased the darkness into corners which +each held their secret. This was how Mrs Hadwin's strange +lodger, whom nobody could ever make out, disappeared +as suddenly as he had come, without any explanations; +and only a very few people could ever come to understand +what he had to do with the after-events which struck +Grange Lane dumb, and turned into utter confusion all +the ideas and conclusions of society in Carlingford.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXI" id="CHAPTER_XXXI"></a>CHAPTER XXXI.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">I will</span> do what I can for you," said Mr Morgan; "yours is +a very hard case, as you say. Of course it would not do for +me to give any opinion—but such a thing shall not occur in +Carlingford, while I am here, without being looked into," +said the Rector, with dignity; "of that you may be sure."</p> + +<p>"I don't want no more nor justice," said Elsworthy—"no +more nor justice. I'm a man as has always been respected, +and never interfered with nobody as didn't interfere with +me. The things I've stood from my clergyman, I wouldn't +have stood from no man living. The way as he'd talk, sir, +of them as was a deal better than himself! We was a happy +family afore Mr Wentworth came nigh of us. Most folks in +Carlingford knows me. There wasn't a more industrious +family in Carlingford, though I say it as shouldn't, nor one +as was more content, or took things more agreeable, afore +Mr Wentworth come to put all wrong."</p> + +<p>"Mr Wentworth has been here for five years," said the +Rector's wife, who was present at this interview; "have +things been going wrong for all that time?"</p> + +<p>"I couldn't describe to nobody what I've put up with," +said the clerk of St Roque's, evading the question. "He +hadn't the ways of such clergymen as I've been used to. +Twice the pay wouldn't have made up for what I've +suffered in my feelings; and I ask you, sir, is this how it's +all to end? My little girl's gone," cried Elsworthy, rising +into hoarse earnestness—"my little girl as was so sweet, +and as everybody took notice on. She's gone, and I don't +know as I'll ever see her again; and I can't get no satisfaction +one way or another; and I ask you, sir, is a villain +as could do such a thing to hold up his head in the town, +and go on the same as ever? I aint a man as is contrairy, or +as goes agin' my superiors; but it's driving me mad, that's +what it's doing," said Elsworthy, wiping the moisture from +his forehead. The man was trembling and haggard, +changed even in his looks—his eyes were red with passion +and watching, and looked like the eyes of a wild beast +lying in wait for its prey. "I can't say as I've ever slept an +hour since it happened," he cried; "and as for my missis, +it's a-killing of her. We aint shut up, because we've got to +live all the same; and because, if the poor thing come back, +there's always an open door. But I'll have justice, if I was +to die for it!" cried Elsworthy. "I don't ask no more than +justice. If it aint to be had one way, I'll have it another. +I'll set the police on him—I will. When a man's drove +wild, he aint answerable for what he's a-doing; and to see +him a-walking about Carlingford, and a-holding up his +head, is a thing as I won't stand no longer, not if it was to +be my ruin. I'm as good as ruined now, and I don't care." +He broke off short with these words, and sat down abruptly +on the chair Thomas had placed for him in front of the +Rector's table. Up to this moment he had been standing, +in his vehemence and agitation, without taking advantage +of the courtesy accorded to his misfortune; now the poor +man sat down by way of emphasis, and began to polish his +hat round and round with his trembling hands.</p> + +<p>As for Mr Morgan, he, on the contrary, got up and +walked instinctively to the fireplace, and stood there with +his back to the empty grate, contemplating the world in +general with a troubled countenance, as was usual. Not to +speak of his prejudice against Mr Wentworth, the Rector +was moved by the sight of Elsworthy's distress; but then +his wife, who unluckily had brought her needlework into +the library on this particular morning, and who was in the +interest of the Curate of St Roque's, was seated watchful +by the window, occasionally looking up, and entirely +cognisant, as Mr Morgan was aware, of everything that +happened. The Rector was much embarrassed to feel +himself thus standing between the two parties. "Yours is a +very hard case—but it is necessary to proceed with +caution, for, after all, there is not much proof," he said, +faltering a little. "My dear, it is a pity to detain you from +your walk," Mr Morgan continued, after a momentary +pause, and looked with a flush of consciousness at his wife, +whose absence would have been such a relief to him. Mrs +Morgan looked up with a gracious smile.</p> + +<p>"You are not detaining me, William—I am very much +interested," said the designing woman, and immediately +began to arrange and put in order what the Rector knew +by experience to be a long piece of work, likely to last her +an hour at least. Mr Morgan uttered a long breath, which +sounded like a little snort of despair.</p> + +<p>"It is very difficult to know what to do," said the +Rector, shifting uneasily upon the hearthrug, and +plunging his hands into the depths of his pockets. "If you +could name anybody you would like to refer it to—but +being a brother clergyman—"</p> + +<p>"A man as conducts himself like that, didn't ought to be +a clergyman, sir," cried Elsworthy. "I'm one as listened to +him preaching on Sunday, and could have jumped up and +dragged him out of the pulpit, to hear him a-discoursing as +if he wasn't a bigger sinner nor any there. I aint safe to +stand it another Sunday. I'd do something as I should be +sorry for after. I'm asking justice, and no more." With +these words Elsworthy got up again, still turning round in +his hands the unlucky hat, and turned his person, though +not his eyes, towards Mrs Morgan. "No man could be more +partial to his clergyman nor I was," he said hoarsely. +"There was never a time as I wasn't glad to see him. He +came in and out as if it belonged to him, and I had no more +thought as he was meaning any harm than the babe +unborn; but a man as meddles with an innocent girl aint +nothing but a black-hearted villain!" cried Elsworthy, +with a gleam out of his red eyes; "and I don't believe as +anybody would take his part as knew all. I put my +confidence in the Rector, as is responsible for the parish," +he went on, facing round again: "not to say but what it's +natural for them as are Mr Wentworth's friends to take his +part—but I'll have justice, wherever it comes from. It's +hard work to go again' any lady as I've a great respect for, +and wouldn't cross for the world; but it aint in reason that I +should be asked to bear it and not say nothing; and I'll +have justice, if I should die for it," said Elsworthy. He +turned from one to another as he spoke, but kept his eyes +upon his hat, which he smoothed and smoothed as if his +life depended on it. But for the reality of his excitement, +his red eyes, and hoarse voice, he would have been a +ludicrous figure, standing as he did in the middle of Mr +Morgan's library, veering round, first to one side and then +to the other, with his stooping head and ungainly person. +As for the Rector, he too kept looking at his wife with a +very troubled face.</p> + +<p>"It is difficult for me to act against a brother clergyman," +said Mr Morgan; "but I am very sorry for you, +Elsworthy—very sorry; if you could name, say, half-a-dozen +gentlemen—"</p> + +<p>"But don't you think," said the Rector's wife, interposing, +"that you should inquire first whether there is any +evidence? It would make you all look very ridiculous if +you got up an inquiry and found no proof against Mr +Wentworth. Is it likely he would do such a thing all at once +without showing any signs of wickedness beforehand—is it +possible? To be sorry is quite a different thing, but I don't +see—"</p> + +<p>"Ladies don't understand such matters," said the +Rector, who had been kept at bay so long that he began to +get desperate. "I beg your pardon, my dear, but it is not a +matter for you to discuss. We shall take good care that +there is plenty of evidence," said the perplexed man—"I +mean, before we proceed to do anything," he added, +growing very red and confused. When Mr Morgan caught +his wife's eye, he got as nearly into a passion as was +possible for so good a man. "You know what I mean," he +said, in his peremptory way; "and, my dear, you will +forgive me for saying this is not a matter to be discussed +before a lady." When he had uttered this bold speech, the +Rector took a few little walks up and down the room, not +caring, however, to look at his wife. He was ashamed of +the feeling he had that her absence would set him much +more at ease with Elsworthy, but still could not help being +conscious that it was so. He did not say anything more, but +he walked up and down the room with sharp short steps, +and betrayed his impatience very manifestly. As for Mrs +Morgan, who was a sensible woman, she saw that the time +had come for her to retire from the field.</p> + +<p>"I think the first thing to be done is to try every possible +means of finding the girl," she said, getting up from her +seat; "but I have no doubt what you decide upon will be +the best. You will find me in the drawing-room when you +want me, William." Perhaps her absence for the first +moment was not such a relief to her husband as he had +expected. The mildness of her parting words made it very +apparent that she did not mean to take offence; and he +perceived suddenly, at a glance, that he would have to tell +her all he was going to do, and encounter her criticism +single-handed, which was rather an appalling prospect to +the Rector. Mrs Morgan, for her part, went up-stairs not +without a little vexation, certainly, but with a comforting +sense of the opportunity which awaited her. She felt that, +in his unprotected position, as soon as she left him, the +Rector would conduct himself rashly, and that her time +was still to come.</p> + +<p>The Rector went back to the hearthrug when his wife +left the room, but in the heat of his own personal reflections +he did not say anything to Elsworthy, who still stood +smoothing his hat in his hand. On the whole, Mr Morgan +was rather aggravated for the moment by the unlucky +cause of this little encounter, and was not half so well +disposed towards Mr Wentworth's enemy as half an hour +before, when he recognised his wife as the champion of +the Curate, and felt controlled by her presence; for the +human and even the clerical mind has its impulses of +perversity. He began to get very impatient of Elsworthy's +hat, and the persistent way in which he worked at it with +his hands.</p> + +<p>"I suppose you would not be so certain about it if you +had not satisfactory evidence?" he said, turning abruptly, +and even a little angrily, upon the supplicant; for Mr +Morgan naturally resented his own temper and the little +semi-quarrel he had got into upon the third person who +was the cause of all.</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Elsworthy, with eagerness, "it aint no wonder +to me as the lady takes Mr Wentworth's part. A poor man +don't stand no chance against a young gentleman as has +had every advantage. It's a thing as I'm prepared for, and +it don't have no effect upon me. A lady as is so respected +and thought a deal of both in town and country—"</p> + +<p>"I was not speaking of my wife," said the Rector, +hastily, "don't you think you had better put down your +hat? I think you said it was on Friday it occurred. It will +be necessary to take down the facts in a business-like +way," said Mr Morgan, drawing his chair towards the +table and taking up his pen. This was how the Rector was +occupied when Thomas announced the most unexpected +of all possible visitors, Mr Proctor, who had been Mr +Morgan's predecessor in Carlingford. Thomas announced +his old master with great solemnity as "the late Rector"—a +title which struck the present incumbent with a sense of +awe not unnatural in the circumstances. He jumped up +from his chair and let his pen fall out of his startled fingers +when his old friend came in. They had eaten many a good +dinner together in the revered hall of All-Souls, and as +the familiar countenance met his eyes, perhaps a regretful +thought of that Elysium stole across the mind of the late +Fellow, who had been so glad to leave the sacred brotherhood, +and marry, and become as other men. He gave but +a few hurried words of surprise and welcome to his visitor, +and then, with a curious counterpoise of sentiment, sent +him up-stairs to see "my wife," feeling, even while half +envious of him, a kind of superiority and half contempt for +the man who was not a Rector and married, but had given +up both these possibilities. When he sent him up-stairs to +see "my wife," Mr Morgan looked after the elderly celibate +with a certain pity. One always feels more inclined to +take the simple view of any matter—to stand up for +injured innocence, and to right the wronged—when one +feels one's self better off than one's neighbours. A reverse +position is apt to detract from the simplicity of one's +conceptions, and to suggest two sides to the picture. When +Mr Proctor was gone, the Rector addressed himself with +great devotion to Elsworthy and his evidence. It could not +be doubted, at least, that the man was in earnest, and +believed what he said; and things unquestionably looked +rather ugly for Mr Wentworth. Mr Morgan took down all +about the Curate's untimely visit to Elsworthy on the +night when he took Rosa home; and when he came to the +evidence of the Miss Hemmings, who had seen the Curate +talking to the unfortunate little girl at his own door the last +time she was seen in Carlingford, the Rector shook his +head with a prolonged movement, half of satisfaction, half +of regret; for, to be sure, he had made up his mind +beforehand who the culprit was, and it was to a certain +extent satisfactory to have his opinion confirmed.</p> + +<p>"This looks very bad, very bad, I am sorry to say," said +Mr Morgan; "for the unhappy young man's own sake, an +investigation is absolutely necessary. As for you, +Elsworthy, everybody must be sorry for you. Have you no +idea where he could have taken the poor girl?—that is," +said the uncautious Rector, "supposing that he is guilty—of +which I am afraid there does not seem much doubt."</p> + +<p>"There aint no doubt," said Elsworthy; "there aint +nobody else as could have done it. Just afore my little girl +was took away, sir, Mr Wentworth went off of a sudden, +and it was said as he was a-going home to the Hall. I was +a-thinking of sending a letter anonymous, to ask if it was +known what he was after. I read in the papers the other +day as his brother was a-going over to Rome. There don't +seem to be none o' them the right sort; which it's terrible +for two clergymen. I was thinking of dropping a bit of a note +anonymous—"</p> + +<p>"No—no—no," said the Rector, "that would never do; +nothing of that sort, Elsworthy. If you thought it likely she +was there, the proper thing would be to go and inquire; +nothing anonymous—no, no; that is a thing I could not +possibly countenance," said Mr Morgan. He pushed away +his pen and paper, and got very red and uncomfortable. If +either of the critics up-stairs, his wife, or his predecessor in +the Rectory, could but know that he was having an +anonymous letter suggested to him—that anybody ventured +to think him capable of being an accomplice in such +proceedings! The presence of these two in the house, +though they were most probably at the moment engaged +in the calmest abstract conversation, and totally unaware +of what was going on in the library, had a great effect upon +the Rector. He felt insulted that any man could venture to +confide such an intention to him almost within the hearing +of his wife. "If I am to take up your case, everything must +be open and straightforward," said Mr Morgan; while +Elsworthy, who saw that he had said something amiss, +without precisely understanding what, took up his hat as a +resource, and once more began to polish it round and +round in his hands.</p> + +<p>"I didn't mean no harm, sir, I'm sure," he said; "I don't +seem to see no other way o' finding out; for I aint like a +rich man as can go and come as he pleases; but I won't say +no more, since it's displeasing to you. If you'd give me the +list of names, sir, as you have decided on to be the +committee, I wouldn't trouble you no longer, seeing as +you've got visitors. Perhaps, if the late Rector aint going +away directly, he would take it kind to be put on the +committee; and he's a gentleman as I've a great respect +for, though he wasn't not to say the man for Carlingford," +said Elsworthy, with a sidelong look. He began to feel the +importance of his own position as the originator of a +committee, and at the head of the most exciting movement +which had been for a long time in Carlingford, and +could not help being sensible, notwithstanding his affliction, +that he had a distinction to offer which even the late +Rector might be pleased to accept.</p> + +<p>"I don't think Mr Proctor will stay," said Mr Morgan; +"and if he does stay, I believe he is a friend of Mr +Wentworth's." It was only after he had said this that the +Rector perceived the meaning of the words he had +uttered; then, in his confusion and vexation, he got up +hastily from the table, and upset the inkstand in all the +embarrassment of the moment. "Of course that is all the +greater reason for having his assistance," said Mr Morgan, +in his perplexity; "we are all friends of Mr Wentworth. +Will you have the goodness to ring the bell? There are few +things more painful than to take steps against a brother +clergyman, if one did not hope it would be for his benefit +in the end. Oh, never mind the table. Be so good as to ring +the bell again—louder, please."</p> + +<p>"There aint nothing equal to blotting-paper, sir," said +Elsworthy, eagerly. "With a bit o' blotting-paper I'd +undertake to rub out ink-stains out o' the finest carpet—if +you'll permit me. It aint but a small speck, and it'll be +gone afore you could look round. It's twenty times better +nor lemon-juice, or them poisonous salts as you're always +nervous of leaving about. Look you here, sir, if it aint a-sopping +up beautiful. There aint no harm done as your +respected lady could be put out about; and I'll take the list +with me, if you please, to show to my wife, as is a-breaking +her heart at home, and can't believe as we'll +ever get justice. She says as how the quality always takes +a gentleman's part against us poor folks, but that aint been +my experience. Don't you touch the carpet, Thomas—there +aint a speck to be seen when the blotting-paper's +cleared away. I'll go home, not to detain you no more, sir, +and cheer up the poor heart as is a-breaking," said +Elsworthy, getting up from his knees where he had been +operating upon the carpet. He had got in his hand the list +of names which Mr Morgan had put down as referees in +this painful business, and it dawned faintly upon the +Rector for the moment that he himself was taking rather +an undignified position as Elsworthy's partisan.</p> + +<p>"I have no objection to your showing it to your wife," +said Mr Morgan; "but I shall be much displeased if I hear +any talk about it, Elsworthy; and I hope it is not revenge +you are thinking of, which is a very unchristian sentiment," +said the Rector, severely, "and not likely to afford comfort +either to her or to you."</p> + +<p>"No, sir, nothing but justice," said Elsworthy, hoarsely, +as he backed out of the room. Notwithstanding this statement, +it was with very unsatisfactory sensations that Mr +Morgan went up-stairs. He felt somehow as if the justice +which Elsworthy demanded, and which he himself had +solemnly declared to be pursuing the Curate of St Roque's, +was wonderfully like revenge. "All punishment must be +more or less vindictive," he said to himself as he went +up-stairs; but that fact did not make him more comfortable +as he went into his wife's drawing-room, where he felt +more like a conspirator and assassin than an English +Rector in broad daylight, without a mystery near him, had +any right to feel. This sensation confused Mr Morgan +much, and made him more peremptory in his manner than +ever. As for Mr Proctor, who was only a spectator, and felt +himself on a certain critical eminence, the suggestion that +occurred to his mind was, that he had come in at the end of +a quarrel, and that the conjugal firmament was still in a +state of disturbance: which idea acted upon some private +projects in the hidden mind of the Fellow of All-Souls, and +produced a state of feeling little more satisfactory than +that of the Rector of Carlingford.</p> + +<p>"I hope Mr Proctor is going to stay with us for a day or +two," said Mrs Morgan. "I was just saying it must look like +coming home to come to the house he used to live in, and +which was even furnished to his own taste," said the +Rector's wife, shooting a little arrow at the late Rector, of +which that good man was serenely unconscious. All this +time, while they had been talking, Mrs Morgan had +scarcely been able to keep from asking who could +possibly have suggested such a carpet. Mr Proctor's chair +was placed on the top of one of the big bouquets, which +expanded its large foliage round him with more than +Eastern prodigality—but he was so little conscious of any +culpability of his own in the matter, that he had referred +his indignant hostess to one of the leaves as an illustration +of the kind of diaper introduced into the new window +which had lately been put up in the chapel of All-Souls. "A +naturalistic treatment, you know," said Mr Proctor, with +the utmost serenity; "and some people objected to it," +added the unsuspicious man.</p> + +<p>"I should have objected very strongly," said Mrs +Morgan, with a little flush. "If you call that naturalistic +treatment, I consider it perfectly out of place in decoration—of +every kind—" Mr Proctor happened to be looking at +her at the moment, and it suddenly occurred to him that +Miss Wodehouse never got red in that uncomfortable way, +which was the only conclusion he drew from the circumstance, +having long ago forgotten that any connection had +ever existed between himself and the carpet on the +drawing-room in Carlingford Rectory. He addressed his +next observation to Mr Morgan, who had just come in.</p> + +<p>"I saw Mr Wodehouse's death in the 'Times,'" said Mr +Proctor, "and I thought the poor young ladies might feel—at +least they might think it a respect—or, at all events, it +would be a satisfaction to one's self," said the late Rector, +who had got into a mire of explanation. "Though he was +far from being a young man, yet having a young daughter +like Miss Lucy—"</p> + +<p>"Poor Lucy!" said Mr Morgan. "I hope that wretched +fellow, young Wentworth"—and here the Rector came to +a dead stop, and felt that he had brought the subject most +to be avoided head and shoulders into the conversation, as +was natural to an embarrassed man. The consequence was +that he got angry, as might have been expected. "My +dear, you must not look at me as you do. I have just been +hearing all the evidence. No unbiassed mind could possibly +come to any other decision," said Mr Morgan, with exasperation. +Now that he had committed himself, he thought +it was much the best thing to go in for it wholly, without +half measures, which was certainly the most straightforward +way.</p> + +<p>"What has happened to Wentworth?" said Mr Proctor. +"He is a young man for whom I have a great regard. +Though he is so much younger than I am, he taught me +some lessons while I was in Carlingford which I shall +never forget. If he is in any trouble that I can help him in, I +shall be very glad to do it, both for his sake and for—" Mr +Proctor slurred over the end of his sentence a little, and +the others were occupied with their own difficulties, and +did not take very much notice—for it was difficult to state +fully the nature and extent of Mr Wentworth's enormities +after such a declaration of friendship. "I met him on my +way here," said the Fellow of All-Souls, "not looking quite +as he used to do. I supposed it might be Mr Wodehouse's +death, perhaps." All Mr Proctor's thoughts ran in that +channel of Mr Wodehouse's death, which, after all, +though sad enough, was not so great an event to the +community in general as the late Rector seemed to suppose.</p> + +<p>It was Mrs Morgan at length who took heart to explain +to Mr Proctor the real state of affairs. "He has been a very +good clergyman for five years," said Mrs Morgan; "he +might behave foolishly, you know, about Wharfside, but +then that was not his fault so much as the fault of the +Rector's predecessors. I am sure I beg your pardon, Mr +Proctor—I did not mean that you were to blame," said the +Rector's wife; "but, notwithstanding all the work he has +done, and the consistent life he has led, there is nobody in +Carlingford who is not quite ready to believe that he has +run away with Rosa Elsworthy—a common little girl +without any education, or a single idea in her head. I +suppose she is what you would call pretty," said the +indignant woman. "Everybody is just as ready to believe +that he is guilty as if he were a stranger or a bad character." +Mrs Morgan stopped in an abrupt manner, because her +quick eyes perceived a glance exchanged between the two +gentlemen. Mr Proctor had seen a good deal of the world +in his day, as he was fond of saying now and then to his +intimate friends: and he had learned at the university and +other places that a girl who is "what you would call +pretty," counts for a great deal in the history of a young +man, whether she has any ideas in her head or not. He did +not, any more than the people of Carlingford, pronounce +at once on <i>a priori</i> evidence that Mr Wentworth must be +innocent. The Curate's "consistent life" did not go for +much in the opinion of the middle-aged Fellow of All-Souls, +any more than of the less dignified populace. He +said, "Dear me, dear me!" in a most perplexed and +distressed tone, while Mrs Morgan kept looking at him; +and looked very much as if he were tempted to break forth +into lamentations over human nature, as Mr Morgan +himself had done.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what the Miss Wodehouses think of it," he +said at last. "One would do a great deal to keep them from +hearing such a thing; but I wonder how they are feeling +about it," said Mr Proctor—and clearly declined to discuss +the matter with Mrs Morgan, who was counsel for the +defence. When the Rector's wife went to her own room to +dress for dinner, it is very true that she had a good cry +over her cup of tea. She was not only disappointed, but +exasperated, in that impatient feminine nature of hers. +Perhaps if she had been less sensitive, she would have had +less of that redness in her face which was so great a trouble +to Mrs Morgan. These two slow middle-aged men, without +any intuitions, who were coming lumbering after her +through all kind of muddles of evidence and argument, +exasperated the more rapid woman. To be sure, they +understood Greek plays a great deal better than she did; +but she was penetrated with the liveliest impatience of +their dulness all the same. Mrs Morgan, however, like +most people who are in advance of their age, felt her utter +impotence against that blank wall of dull resistance. She +could not make them see into the heart of things as she +did. She had to wait until they had attacked the question +in the orthodox way of siege, and made gradual entrance +by dint of hard labour. All she could do to console herself +was, to shed certain hot tears of indignation and annoyance +over her tea, which, however, was excellent tea, and did +her good. Perhaps it was to show her sense of superiority, +and that she did not feel herself vanquished, that, after +that, she put on her new dress, which was very much too +nice to be wasted upon Mr Proctor. As for Mr Leeson, who +came in as usual just in time for dinner, having heard of Mr +Proctor's arrival, she treated him with a blandness which +alarmed the Curate. "I quite expected you, for we have the +All-Souls pudding to-day," said the Rector's wife, and she +smiled a smile which would have struck awe into the soul of +any curate that ever was known in Carlingford.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXII" id="CHAPTER_XXXII"></a>CHAPTER XXXII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">It</span> was the afternoon of the same day on which Mr Proctor +arrived in Carlingford that Mr Wentworth received the +little note from Miss Wodehouse which was so great a +consolation to the Perpetual Curate. By that time he had +begun to experience humiliations more hard to bear than +anything he had yet known. He had received constrained +greetings from several of his most cordial friends; his +people in the district, all but Tom Burrows, looked askance +upon him; and Dr Marjoribanks, who had never taken +kindly to the young Anglican, had met him with satirical +remarks in his dry Scotch fashion, which were intolerable +to the Curate. In these circumstances, it was balm to his +soul to have his sympathy once more appealed to, and by +those who were nearest to his heart. The next day was that +appointed for Mr Wodehouse's funeral, to which Mr +Wentworth had been looking forward with a little excitement—wondering, +with indignant misery, whether the +covert insults he was getting used to would be repeated +even over his old friend's grave. It was while this was in +his mind that he received Miss Wodehouse's little note. It +was very hurriedly written, on the terrible black-edged +paper which, to such a simple soul as Miss Wodehouse, it +was a kind of comfort to use in the moment of calamity. +"Dear Mr Wentworth," it said, "I am in great difficulty, +and don't know what to do: come, I beg of you, and tell me +what is best. My dear Lucy insists upon going to-morrow, +and I can't cross her when her heart is breaking, and I +don't know what to do. Please to come, if it were only for a +moment. Dear, dear papa, and all of us, have always had +such confidence in you!" Mr Wentworth was seated, very +disconsolate, in his study when this appeal came to him: +he was rather sick of the world and most things in it; a +sense of wrong eclipsed the sunshine for the moment, and +obscured the skies; but it was comforting to be appealed to—to +have his assistance and his protection sought once +more. He took his hat immediately and went up the sunny +road, on which there was scarcely a passenger visible, to +the closed-up house, which stood so gloomy and irresponsive +in the sunshine. Mr Wodehouse had not been a man +likely to attract any profound love in his lifetime, or sense +of loss when he was gone; but yet it was possible to think, +with the kindly, half-conscious delusion of nature, that +had <i>he</i> been living, he would have known better; and the +Curate went into the darkened drawing-room, where all +the shutters were closed, except those of the little window +in the corner, where Lucy's work-table stood, and where a +little muffled sunshine stole in through the blind. Everything +was in terribly good order in the room. The two +sisters had been living in their own apartments, taking +their forlorn meals in the little parlour which communicated +with their sleeping chambers, during this week of darkness; +and nobody had come into the drawing-room except the +stealthy housemaid, who contemplated herself and her +new mourning for an hour at a stretch in the great mirror +without any interruption, while she made "tidy" the furniture +which nobody now disturbed. Into this sombre apartment +Miss Wodehouse came gliding, like a gentle ghost, in +her black gown. She too, like John and the housemaid and +everybody about, walked and talked under her breath. +There was now no man in the house entitled to disturb +those proprieties with which a female household naturally +hedges round all the great incidents of life; and the affairs +of the family were all carried on in a whisper, in accordance +with the solemnity of the occasion—a circumstance +which had naturally called the ghost of a smile to the +Curate's countenance as he followed John up-stairs. Miss +Wodehouse herself, though she was pale, and spent half +her time, poor soul! in weeping, and had, besides, living +encumbrances to trouble her helpless path, did not look +amiss in her black gown. She came in gliding without any +noise, but with a little expectation in her gentle countenance. +She was one of the people whom experience +never makes any wiser; and she could not help hoping to +be delivered from her troubles this time, as so often +before, as soon as she should have transferred them to +somebody else's shoulders, and taken "advice."</p> + +<p>"Lucy has made up her mind that we are to go to-morrow," +said Miss Wodehouse, drying her tears. "It was +not the custom in my young days, Mr Wentworth, and I +am sure I don't know what to say; but I can't bear to cross +her, now that she has nobody but me. She was always the +best child in the world," said the poor lady—"far more +comfort to poor dear papa than I ever could be; but to hear +her talk you would think that she had never done anything. +And oh, Mr Wentworth, if that was all I should not mind; +but we have always kept things a secret from her; and now +I have had a letter, and I don't know what it is possible to +do."</p> + +<p>"A letter from your brother?" asked Mr Wentworth, +eagerly.</p> + +<p>"From Tom," said the elder sister; "poor, poor Tom! I +am sure papa forgave him at the last, though he did not +say anything. Oh, Mr Wentworth, he was such a nice boy +once; and if Lucy only knew, and I could summon up the +courage to tell her, and he would change his ways, as he +promised—don't think me fickle or changeable, or look as +if I didn't know my own mind," cried poor Miss Wodehouse, +with a fresh flow of tears; "but oh, Mr Wentworth, if he +only would change his ways, as he promised, think what a +comfort it would be to us to have him at home!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the Curate, with a little bitterness. Here +was another instance of the impunities of wickedness. "I +think it very likely indeed that you will have him at +home," said Mr Wentworth—"almost certain; the wonder +is that he went away. Will you tell me where he dates his +letter from? I have a curiosity to know."</p> + +<p>"You are angry," said the anxious sister. "Oh, Mr +Wentworth, I know he does not deserve anything else, but +you have always been so kind. I put his letter in my +pocket to show you—at least, I am sure I intended to put it +in my pocket. We have scarcely been in this room since—since—" +and here Miss Wodehouse broke down, and had +to take a little time to recover. "I will go and get the +letter," she said, as at last she regained her voice, and +hurried away through the partial darkness with her noiseless +step, and the long black garments which swept +noiselessly over the carpet. Mr Wentworth for his part +went to the one window which was only veiled by a blind, +and comforted himself a little in the sunshine. The death +atmosphere weighed upon the young man and took away +his courage. If he was only wanted to pave the way for the +reception of the rascally brother for whose sins he felt +convinced he was himself suffering, the consolation of +being appealed to would be sensibly lessened, and it was +hard to have no other way of clearing himself than by +criminating Lucy's brother, and bringing dishonour upon +her name. While he waited for Miss Wodehouse's return, +he stood by Lucy's table, with very little of the feeling +which had once prompted him to fold his arms so caressingly +with an impulse of tenderness upon the chair which stood +beside it. He was so much absorbed in his own thoughts +that he did not hear at first the sound of a hesitating hand +upon the door, which at length, when repeated, went to +the Curate's heart. He turned round rapidly, and saw +Lucy standing on the threshold in her profound mourning. +She was very pale, and her blue eyes looked large and full +beyond their natural appearance, dilated with tears and +watching; and when they met those of Mr Wentworth, +they filled full like flower-cups with dew; but besides this +Lucy made no demonstration of her grief. After that +momentary hesitation at the door, she came in and gave +the Curate her hand. Perhaps it was a kind of defiance, +perhaps a natural yearning, which drew her out of her +chamber when she heard of his presence; both sentiments +sprang out of the same feeling; and the Curate, when he +looked at her, bethought himself of the only moment when +he had been able to imagine that Lucy loved him; that +moment by her father's bedside, of which the impression +had been dulled since then by a crowd of events, when she +looked with such reproach and disappointment and indignation +into his face.</p> + +<p>"I heard you were here," said Lucy, "and I thought you +might think it strange not to see us both." And then she +paused, perhaps finding it less easy than she thought to +explain why she had come. "We ought to thank you, Mr +Wentworth, for your kindness, though I—"</p> + +<p>"You were angry with me," said the Curate. "I know +you thought me heartless; but a man must bear to be +misconceived when he has duty to do," the young clergyman +added, with a swelling heart. Lucy did not know the +fuller significance of his words; and there was a loftiness in +them which partly affronted her, and set all her sensitive +woman-pride in arms against him.</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon," she said, faltering, and then the +two stood beside each other in silence, with a sense of +estrangement. As for Lucy, all the story about Rosa +Elsworthy, of which she had not yet heard the last chapter, +rushed back upon her mind. Was it to see little Rosa's +lover that she had come out of the darkness of her room, +with a natural longing for sympathy which it was impossible +to restrain? The tenderness of the instinctive feeling which +had moved her, went back upon her heart in bitterness. +That he must have divined why she had come, and +scorned her for it, was the mildest supposition in Lucy's +mind. She could almost have imagined that he had come +on purpose to elicit this vain exhibition of regard, and +triumph over it; all this, too, when she was in such great +trouble and sorrow, and wanted a little compassion, a little +kindness, so much. This was the state of mind to which +Lucy had come, in five minutes after she entered the +room, when Miss Wodehouse came back with the letter. +The elder sister was almost as much astonished at Lucy's +presence as if she had been the dead inhabitant who kept +such state in the darkened house. She was so startled that +she went back a step or two when she perceived her, and +hastily put the letter in her pocket, and exclaimed her +sister's name in a tone most unlike Miss Wodehouse's +natural voice.</p> + +<p>"I came down-stairs because—I mean they told me Mr +Wentworth was here," said Lucy, who had never felt so +weak and so miserable in her life, "and I wanted to thank +him for all his kindness." It was here for the first time that +Lucy broke down. Her sorrow was so great, her longing +for a word of kindness had been so natural, and her shame +and self-condemnation at the very thought that she was +able to think of anything but her father, were so bitter, +that the poor girl's forces, weakened by watching, were +not able to withstand them. She sank into the chair that +stood nearest, and covered her face with her hands, and +cried as people cry only at twenty. And as for Mr +Wentworth, he had no right to take her in his arms and +comfort her, nor to throw himself at her feet and entreat +her to take courage. All he could do was to stand half a +yard, yet a whole world, apart looking at her, his heart +beating with all the remorseful half-angry tenderness of +love. Since it was not his to console her, he was almost +impatient of her tears.</p> + +<p>"Dear, I have been telling Mr Wentworth about to-morrow," +said Miss Wodehouse, weeping too, as was +natural, "and he thinks—he thinks—oh, my darling! and +so do I—that it will be too much for you. When I was +young it never was the custom; and oh, Lucy, remember +that ladies are not to be expected to have such command +over their feelings," said poor Miss Wodehouse, dropping +on her knees by Lucy's chair. Mr Wentworth stood looking +on in a kind of despair. He had nothing to say, and no +right to say anything; even his presence was a kind of +intrusion. But to be referred to thus as an authority against +Lucy's wishes, vexed him in the most unreasonable way.</p> + +<p>"Mr Wentworth does not know me," said Lucy, under +her breath, wiping away her tears with a trembling, +indignant hand. "If we had had a brother, it might have +been different; but there must be somebody there that +loves him," said the poor girl, with a sob, getting up hastily +from her chair. She could not bear to stay any longer in the +room, which she had entered with a vague sense of possible +consolation. As for the Curate, he made haste to open the +door for her, feeling the restraint of his position almost +intolerable. "<i>I</i> shall be there," he said, stopping at the door +to look into the fair, pallid face which Lucy would scarcely +raise to listen. "Could you not trust <i>me</i>?" It looked like +giving him a pledge of something sacred and precious to put +her hand into his, which was held out for it so eagerly. But +Lucy could not resist the softening of nature; and not even +Miss Wodehouse, looking anxiously after them, heard what +further words they were that Mr Wentworth said in her ear. +"I am for your service, however and wherever you want +me," said the Curate, with a young man's absolutism. +Heaven knows he had enough to do with his own troubles; +but he remembered no obstacle which could prevent him +from dedicating all his time and life to her as he spoke. +When Lucy reached her own room, she threw herself upon +the sofa, and wept like a woman inconsolable; but it was +somehow because this consolation, subtle and secret, had +stolen into her heart that her tears flowed so freely. And Mr +Wentworth returned to her sister relieved, he could not +have told why. At all events, come what might, the two had +drawn together again in their mutual need.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Wentworth, how can I cross her?" said Miss +Wodehouse, wringing her hands. "If we had a brother—did +you hear what she said? Here is his letter, and I hope you +will tell me candidly what you think. If we could trust him—if +we could but trust him! I daresay you think me very +changeable and foolish; but now we are alone," said the +poor lady, "think what a comfort it would be if he only +would change his ways as he promised! Lucy is a great deal +more use than I am, and understands things; but still we are +only two women," said the elder sister. "If you think we +could put any dependence upon him, Mr Wentworth, I +would never hesitate. He might live with us, and have his +little allowance." Miss Wodehouse paused, and raised her +anxious face to the Curate, pondering the particulars of the +liberality she intended. "He is not a boy," she went on. "I +daresay now he must feel the want of the little comforts he +once was used to; and though he is not like what he used to +be, neither in his looks nor his manners, people would be +kind to him for our sakes. Oh, Mr Wentworth, don't you +think we might trust him?" said the anxious woman, +looking in the Curate's face.</p> + +<p>All this time Mr Wentworth, with an impatience of her +simplicity which it was difficult to restrain, was reading +the letter, in which he perceived a very different intention +from any divined by Miss Wodehouse. The billet was +disreputable enough, written in pencil, and without any +date.</p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">Mary</span>,— +I mean to come to my father's funeral," wrote +Mr Wodehouse's disowned son. "Things are changed now, +as I said they would be. I and a friend of mine have set +everything straight with Waters, and I mean to come in +my own name, and take the place I have a right to. How it +is to be after this depends on how you behave; but things +are changed between you and me, as I told you they +would be; and I expect you won't do anything to make 'em +worse by doing or saying what's unpleasant. I add no +more, because I hope you'll have sense to see what I +mean, and to act accordingly.—Your brother,</p> +<p class="right"> +"<span class="smallcaps">Thomas Wodehouse.</span>"</p> + +<p>"You see he thinks I will reproach him," said Miss +Wodehouse, anxiously; perhaps it had just glanced across +her own mind that something more important still might +have dictated language so decided. "He has a great deal +more feeling than you would suppose, poor fellow! It is +very touching in him to say, 'the place he has a right to'—don't +you think so, Mr Wentworth? Poor Tom! if we could +but trust him, and he would change his ways as he +promised! Oh, Mr Wentworth, don't you think I might +speak of it to him to-morrow? If we could—bury—everything—in +dear papa's grave," cried the poor lady, once +more breaking down. Mr Wentworth took no notice of +Miss Wodehouse's tears. They moved him with sentiments +entirely different from those with which he regarded +Lucy's. He read the note over again without any attempt +to console her, till she had struggled back into composure; +but even then there was nothing sympathetic in the +Curate's voice.</p> + +<p>"And I think you told me you did not know anything +about the will?" he said, with some abruptness, making no +account whatever of the suggestion she had made.</p> + +<p>"No," said Miss Wodehouse; "but my dear father was a +business man, Mr Wentworth, and I feel quite sure—quite—"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the Perpetual Curate; "nor of the nature of +his property, perhaps?" added the worldly-minded young +man whom poor Miss Wodehouse had chosen for her +adviser. It was more than the gentle woman could bear.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Wentworth, you know I am not one to understand," +cried the poor lady. "You ask me questions, but +you never tell me what you think I should do. If it were +only for myself, I would not mind, but I have to act for +Lucy," said the elder sister, suddenly sitting upright and +drying her tears. "Papa, I am sure, did what was best for +us," she said, with a little gentle dignity, which brought +the Curate back to his senses; "but oh, Mr Wentworth, +look at the letter, and tell me, for my sister's sake, what +am I to do?"</p> + +<p>The Curate went to the window, from which the sunshine +was stealing away, to consider the subject; but he did not +seem to derive much additional wisdom from that sacred +spot, where Lucy's work-table stood idle. "We must wait +and see," he said to himself. When he came back to Miss +Wodehouse, and saw the question still in her eyes, it only +brought back his impatience. "My dear Miss Wodehouse, +instead of speculating about what is to happen, it would be +much better to prepare your sister for the discovery she +must make to-morrow," said Mr Wentworth; "I cannot +give any other advice, for my part. I think it is a great pity +that you have kept it concealed so long. I beg your pardon +for speaking so abruptly, but I am afraid you don't know +all the trouble that is before you. We are all in a great deal +of trouble," said the Perpetual Curate, with a little +unconscious solemnity. "I can't say I see my way through +it; but you ought to prepare her—to see—her brother." He +said the words with a degree of repugnance which he could +not conceal, and which wounded his companion's tender +heart.</p> + +<p>"He was so different when he was young," said Miss +Wodehouse, with a suppressed sob—"he was a favourite +everywhere. You would not have looked so if you had +known him then. Oh, Mr Wentworth, promise me that +you will not turn your back upon him if he comes home, +after all your kindness. I will tell Lucy how much you +have done for him," said Miss Wodehouse. She was only +half-conscious of her own gentle artifice. She took the +Curate's hand in both her own before he left her, and said +it was such a comfort to have his advice to rely upon; and +she believed what she said, though Mr Wentworth himself +knew better. The poor lady sat down in Lucy's chair, and +had a cry at her ease after he went away. She was to tell +Lucy—but how? and she sat pondering this hard question +till all the light had faded out of the room, and the little +window which was not shuttered dispersed only a grey +twilight through the empty place. The lamp, meantime, +had been lighted in the little parlour where Lucy sat, very +sad, in her black dress, with 'In Memoriam' on the table +by her, carrying on a similar strain in her heart. She was +thinking of the past, so many broken scenes of which kept +flashing up before her, all bright with indulgent love and +tenderness—and she was thinking of the next day, when +she was to see all that remained of her good father laid in +his grave. He was not very wise nor remarkable among +men, but he had been the tenderest father to the child of +his old age; and in her heart she was praying for him still, +pausing now and then to think whether it was right. The +tears were heavy in her young eyes, but they were natural +tears, and Lucy had no more thought that there was in the +world anything sadder than sorrow, or that any complications +lay in her individual lot, than the merest child in +Prickett's Lane. She thought of going back to the district, +all robed and invested in the sanctity of her grief—she +thought it was to last for ever, as one has the privilege of +thinking when one is young; and it was to this young saint, +tender towards all the world, ready to pity everybody, and +to save a whole race, if that had been possible, that Miss +Wodehouse went in, heavy and burdened, with her tale of +miserable vice, unkindness, estrangement. How was it possible +to begin? Instead of beginning, poor Miss Wodehouse, +overpowered by her anxieties and responsibilities, was +taken ill and fainted, and had to be carried to bed. Lucy +would not let her talk when she came to herself; and so +the only moment of possible preparation passed away, +and the event itself, which one of them knew nothing +of, and the other did not understand, came in its own +person, without any <i>avant-couriers</i>, to open Lucy's eyes +once for all.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXXIII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Mr Wentworth</span> had to go into Carlingford on some +business when he left Miss Wodehouse; and as he went +home again, having his head full of so many matters, he +forgot for the moment what most immediately concerned +himself, and was close upon Elsworthy's shop, looking into +the window, before he thought of it. Elsworthy himself +was standing behind the counter, with a paper in his hand, +from which he was expounding something to various +people in the shop. It was getting late, and the gas was +lighted, which threw the interior into very bright relief +to Mr Wentworth outside. The Curate was still only a +young man, though he was a clergyman, and his movements +were not always guided by reason or sound sense. +He walked into the shop, almost before he was aware what +he was doing. The people were inconsiderable people +enough—cronies of Elsworthy—but they were people who +had been accustomed to look up very reverentially to the +Curate of St Roque's and Mr Wentworth was far from +being superior to their disapproval. There was a very +visible stir among them as he entered, and Elsworthy +came to an abrupt stop in his elucidations, and thrust the +paper he had been reading into a drawer. Dead and +sudden silence followed the entrance of the Curate. Peter +Hayles, the druggist, who was one of the auditors, stole to +the door with intentions of escape, and the women, of +whom there were two or three, looked alarmed, not +knowing what might come of it. As for Mr Wentworth, +there was only one thing possible for him to say. "Have +you heard anything of Rosa, Elsworthy?" he asked, with +great gravity, fixing his eyes upon the man's face. The +question seemed to ring into all the corners. Whether it +was innocence or utter abandonment nobody could tell, +and the spectators held their breath for the answer. +Elsworthy, for his part, was as much taken by surprise as +his neighbours. He grew very pale and livid in his sudden +excitement, and lost his voice, and stood staring at the +Curate like a man struck dumb. Perhaps Mr Wentworth +got bolder when he saw the effect he had produced. He +repeated the question, looking towards poor Mrs +Elsworthy, who had jumped from her husband's side +when he came in. The whole party looked like startled +conspirators to Mr Wentworth's eyes, though he had not +the least idea what they had been doing. "Have you heard +anything of Rosa?" he asked again; and everybody looked +at Elsworthy, as if he were the guilty man, and had +suborned the rest; which, indeed, in one sense, was not far +from being the case.</p> + +<p>When Elsworthy came to himself, he gave Mr Wentworth +a sidelong dangerous look. "No, sir—nothing," said +Rosa's uncle. "Them as has hidden her has hidden her +well. I didn't expect to hear not yet," said Elsworthy. +Though Mr Wentworth did not know what he meant, his +little audience in the shop did, and showed, by the +slightest murmur in the world, their conviction that the +arrow had gone home, which naturally acted like a spur +upon the Curate, who was not the wisest man in the world.</p> + +<p>"I am very sorry to see you in so much distress," said +the young man, looking at Mrs Elsworthy's red eyes, "but +I trust things will turn out much better than you imagine. +If I can do anything to help you, let me know," said Mr +Wentworth. Perhaps it was foolish to say so much, +knowing what he did, but unfortunately prudence was not +the ruling principle at that moment in the Curate's soul.</p> + +<p>"I was a-thinking of letting you know, sir," said the +clerk of St Roque's, with deadly meaning; "leastways not +me, but them as has taken me by the hand. There's every +prospect as it'll all be known afore long," said Elsworthy, +pushing his wife aside and following Mr Wentworth, with +a ghastly caricature of his old obsequiousness, to the door. +"There's inquiries a-being made as was never known to +fail. For one thing, I've written to them as knows a deal +about the movements of a party as is suspected—not to +say as I've got good friends," said Rosa's guardian, +standing upon the step of his own door, and watching the +Curate out into the darkness. Mr Wentworth could not +altogether restrain a slight thrill of unpleasant emotion, for +Elsworthy, standing at his door with the light gleaming +over him from behind, and his face invisible, had an +unpleasant resemblance to a wild beast waiting for his prey.</p> + +<p>"I am glad to think you are likely to be so successful. +Send me word as soon as you know," said the Curate, and +he pursued his way home afterwards, with feelings far +from pleasant. He saw something was about to come of +this more than he had thought likely, and the crisis was +approaching. As he walked rapidly home, he concluded +within himself to have a conversation with the Rector +next day after Mr Wodehouse's funeral, and to ask for an +investigation into the whole matter. When he had come to +this conclusion, he dismissed the subject from his mind as +far as was possible, and took to thinking of the other +matters which disturbed his repose, in which, indeed, it +was very easy to get perplexed and bewildered to his +heart's content. Anyhow, one way and another, the day of +poor Mr Wodehouse's funeral must necessarily be an +exciting and momentous day.</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth had, however, no idea that its interest +was to begin so early. When he was seated at breakfast +reading his letters, a note was brought to him, which, +coming in the midst of a lively chronicle of home news +from his sister Letty, almost stopped for the moment the +beating of the Curate's heart. It took him so utterly by +surprise, that more violent sentiments were lost for the +moment in mere wonder. He read it over twice before he +could make it out. It was from the Rector, and notwithstanding +his wife's remonstrances, and his own qualms of +doubt and uncertainty, this was what Mr Morgan said:—</p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">Dear Sir</span>,— +It is my painful duty to let you know that +certain rumours have reached my ears very prejudicial to +your character as a clergyman, and which I understand to +be very generally current in Carlingford. Such a scandal, +if not properly dealt with, is certain to have an unfavourable +effect upon the popular mind, and injure the clergy in +the general estimation—while it is, as I need not point out +to you, quite destructive of your own usefulness. Under +the circumstances, I have thought it my duty, as Rector of +the parish, to take steps for investigating these reports. Of +course I do not pretend to any authority over you, nor can +I enforce in any way your participation in the inquiry or +consent to it; but I beg to urge upon you strongly, as a +friend, the advantage of assenting freely, that your innocence +(if possible) may be made apparent, and your +character cleared. I enclose the names of the gentlemen +whose assistance I intend to request for this painful duty, +in case you should object to any of them; and would again +urge you, <i>for your own sake</i>, the expediency of concurrence. +I regret to say that, though I would not willingly +prejudge any man, much less a brother clergyman, I do +not feel that it would be seemly on my part, under the +circumstances, to avail myself of your assistance today in +the burial-service for the late Mr Wodehouse.—Believe +me, very sincerely yours,</p> +<p class="right"> +"<span class="smallcaps">W. Morgan.</span>"</p> + +<p>When Mr Wentworth looked up from this letter, he +caught sight of his face in the mirror opposite, and gazed +into his own eyes like a man stupefied. He had not been +without vexations in eight-and-twenty years of a not +uneventful life, but he had never known anything like the +misery of that moment. It was nearly four hours later +when he walked slowly up Grange Lane to the house, +which before night might own so different a master, but he +had found as yet no time to spare for the Wodehouses—even +for Lucy—in the thoughts which were all occupied +by the unlooked-for blow. Nobody could tell, not even +himself, the mental discipline he had gone through before +he emerged, rather stern, but perfectly calm, in the +sunshine in front of the closed-up house. If it was not his to +meet the solemn passenger at the gates with words of +hope, at least he could do a man's part to the helpless who +had still to live; but the blow was cruel, and all the force of +his nature was necessary to sustain it. All Carlingford +knew, by the evidence of its senses, that Mr Wentworth +had been a daily visitor of the dead, and one of his most +intimate friends, and nobody had doubted for a moment +that to him would be assigned as great a portion of the +service as his feelings permitted him to undertake. When +the bystanders saw him join the procession, a thrill of +surprise ran through the crowd; but nobody—not even the +man who walked beside him—ventured to trifle with the +Curate's face so far as to ask why. The Grand Inquisitor +himself, if such a mythical personage exists any longer, +could not have invented a more delicate torture than that +which the respectable and kind-hearted Rector of Carlingford +inflicted calmly, without knowing it, upon the Curate +of St Roque's. How was Mr Morgan to know that the sting +would go to his heart? A Perpetual Curate without a +district has nothing to do with a heart so sensitive. The +Rector put on his own robes with a peaceful mind, feeling +that he had done his duty, and, with Mr Leeson behind +him, came to the church door with great solemnity to meet +the procession. He read the words which are so sweet and +so terrible with his usual reading-desk voice as he read the +invitations every Sunday. He was a good man, but he was +middle-aged, and not accessible to impression from the +mere aspect of death; and he did not know Mr Wodehouse, +nor care much for anything in the matter, except his own +virtue in excluding the Perpetual Curate from any share +in the service. Such was the Rector's feeling in respect to +this funeral, which made so much commotion in Carlingford. +He felt that he was vindicating the purity of his profession +as he threaded his way through the pathetic hillocks, +where the nameless people were lying, to poor Mr +Wodehouse's grave.</p> + +<p>This, however, was not the only thing which aroused +the wonder and interest of the townspeople when the two +shrinking, hooded female figures, all black and unrecognisable, +rose up trembling to follow their dead from the +church to the grave. Everybody saw with wonder that +their place was contested, and that somebody else, a man +whom no one knew, thrust himself before them, and +walked alone in the chief mourner's place. As for Lucy, +who, through her veil and her tears, saw nothing distinctly, +this figure, which she did not know, struck her only with a +vague astonishment. If she thought of it at all, she thought +it a mistake, simple enough, though a little startling, and +went on, doing all she could to support her sister, saying +broken prayers in her heart, and far too much absorbed in +the duty she was performing to think who was looking on, +or to be conscious of any of the attending circumstances, +except Mr Morgan's voice, which was not the voice she +had expected to hear. Miss Wodehouse was a great deal +more agitated than Lucy. She knew very well who it was +that placed himself before her, asserting his own right +without offering any help to his sisters; and vague apprehensions, +which she herself could not understand, came +over her just at the moment when she required her strength +most. As there were no other relations present, the place +of honour next to the two ladies had been tacitly conceded +to Mr Proctor and Mr Wentworth; and it was thus that the +Curate rendered the last service to his old friend. It was a +strange procession, and concentrated in itself all that was +most exciting in Carlingford at the moment. Everybody +observed and commented upon the strange man, who, all +remarkable and unknown, with his great beard and sullen +countenance, walked by himself as chief mourner. Who +was he? and whispers arose and ran through the outskirts +of the crowd of the most incredible description. Some said +he was an illegitimate son whom Mr Wodehouse had left +all his property to, but whom the ladies knew nothing of; +some that it was a strange cousin, whom Lucy was to be +compelled to marry or lose her share; and after a while +people compared notes, and went back upon their recollections, +and began to ask each other if it was true that +Tom Wodehouse died twenty years ago in the West +Indies? Then behind the two ladies—poor ladies, whose +fate was hanging in the balance, though they did not know +it—came Mr Wentworth in his cap and gown, pale and +stern as nobody ever had seen him before in Carlingford, +excluded from all share in the service, which Mr Leeson, +in a flutter of surplice and solemnity, was giving his +valuable assistance in. The churchyard at Carlingford had +not lost its semi-rural air though the town had increased so +much, for the district was very healthy, as everybody +knows, and people did not die before their time, as in +places less favoured. The townspeople, who knew Mr +Wodehouse so well, lingered all about among the graves, +looking with neighbourly, calm regret, but the liveliest +curiosity. Most of the shopkeepers at that end of George +Street had closed their shops on the mournful occasion, +and felt themselves repaid. As for Elsworthy, he stood +with a group of supporters round him, as near as possible +to the funeral procession; and farther off in the distance, +under the trees, was a much more elegant spectator—an +unlikely man enough to assist at such a spectacle, being no +less a person than Jack Wentworth, in the perfection of an +English gentleman's morning apparel, perfectly at his ease +and indifferent, yet listening with close attention to all the +scraps of talk that came in his way. The centre of all this +wondering, curious crowd, where so many passions and +emotions and schemes and purposes were in full tide, and +life was beating so strong and vehement, was the harmless +dead, under the heavy pall which did not veil him so +entirely from the living as did the hopes and fears and +curious speculations which had already sprung up over +him, filling up his place. Among the whole assembly there +was not one heart really occupied by thoughts of him, +except that of poor Lucy, who knew nothing of all the +absorbing anxieties and terrors that occupied the others. +She had still a moment's leisure for her natural grief. It +was all she could do to keep upright and support her sister, +who had burdens to bear which Lucy knew nothing of; but +still, concealed under her hood and veil, seeing nothing +but the grave before her, hearing nothing but the sacred +words and the terrible sound of "dust to dust," the young +creature stood steadfast, and gave the dead man who had +loved her his due—last offering of nature and love, +sweeter to anticipate than any honours. Nobody but his +child offered to poor Mr Wodehouse that last right of +humanity, or made his grave sacred with natural +tears.</p> + +<p>When they went back sadly out of all that blinding +sunshine into the darkened house, it was not all over, as +poor Lucy had supposed. She had begun to come to +herself and understand once more the looks of the people +about her, when the old maid, who had been the attendant +of the sisters during all Lucy's life, undid her wrappings, +and in her agitation of the moment kissed her white cheek, +and held her in her arms. "Oh, Miss Lucy, darling, don't +take on no more than you can help. I'm sore, sore afeared +that there's a deal of trouble afore you yet," said the +weeping woman. Though Lucy had not the smallest +possible clue to her meaning, and was almost too much worn +out to be curious, she could not help a vague thrill of +alarm. "What is it, Alland?" she said, rising up from the +sofa on which she had thrown herself. But Alland could do +nothing but cry over her nursling and console her. "Oh, +my poor dear! oh, my darling! as he never would have let +the wind of heaven to blow rough upon her!" cried the old +servant. And it was just then that Miss Wodehouse, who +was trembling all over hysterically, came into the room.</p> + +<p>"We have to go down-stairs," said the elder sister. "Oh +Lucy, my darling, it was not my fault at first. I should +have told you last night to prepare you, and I had not the +heart. Mr Wentworth has told me so often—"</p> + +<p>"Mr Wentworth?" said Lucy. She rose up, not quite +knowing where she was; aware of nothing, except that +some sudden calamity, under which she was expected to +faint altogether, was coming to her by means of Mr +Wentworth. Her mind jumped at the only dim possibility +that seemed to glimmer through the darkness. He must be +married, she supposed, or about to be married; and it was +this they insulted her by thinking that she could not bear. +There was not a particle of colour in her face before, but +the blood rushed into it with a bitterness of shame and +rage which she had never known till now. "I will go down +with you if it is necessary," said Lucy; "but surely this is a +strange time to talk of Mr Wentworth's affairs." There +was no time to explain anything farther, for just then old +Mrs Western, who was a distant cousin, knocked at the +door. "God help you, my poor dear children!" said the old +lady; "they are all waiting for you down-stairs," and it was +with this delusion in her mind, embittering every thought, +that Lucy went into the drawing-room where they were all +assembled. The madness of the idea did not strike her +somehow, even when she saw the grave assembly, which +it was strange to think could have been brought together +to listen to any explanation from the Perpetual Curate. He +was standing there prominent enough among them, with a +certain air of suppressed passion in his face, which Lucy +divined almost without seeing it. For her own part, she +went in with perfect firmness, supporting her sister, whose +trembling was painful to see. There was no other lady in the +room except old Mrs Western, who would not sit down, +but hovered behind the chairs which had been placed for +the sisters near the table at which Mr Waters was standing. +By the side of Mr Waters was the man who had been at +the funeral, and whom nobody knew, and a few gentlemen +who were friends of the family were in the room—the +Rector, by virtue of his office, and Mr Proctor and Dr +Marjoribanks; and any one whose attention was sufficiently +disengaged to note the details of the scene might have +perceived John, who had been fifteen years with Mr +Wodehouse, and the old cook in her black gown, who was +of older standing in the family than Alland herself, peeping +in, whenever it was opened, through the door.</p> + +<p>"Now that the Miss Wodehouses are here, we may +proceed to business," said Mr Waters. "Some of the party +are already aware that I have an important communication +to make. I am very sorry if it comes abruptly upon +anybody specially interested. My late partner, much respected +though he has always been, was a man of peculiar +views in many respects. Dr Marjoribanks will bear me out +in what I say. I had been his partner for ten years before I +found this out, highly important as it will be seen to be; +and I believe Mr Wentworth, though an intimate friend of +the family, obtained the information by a kind of accident—"</p> + +<p>The stranger muttered something in his beard which +nobody could hear, and the Perpetual Curate interposed +audibly. "Would it not be best to make the explanations +afterwards?" said Mr Wentworth—and he changed his +own position and went over beside old Mrs Western, who +was leaning upon Lucy's chair. He put his own hand on +the back of the chair with an involuntary impulse. As for +Lucy, her first thrill of nervous strength had failed her: +she began to get confused and bewildered; but whatever it +was, no insult, no wound to her pride or affections, was +coming to her from that hand which she knew was on her +chair. She leaned back a little, with a long sigh. Her +imagination could not conceive anything important enough +for such a solemn intimation, and her attention began to +flag in spite of herself. No doubt it was something about +that money which people thought so interesting. Meanwhile +Mr Waters went on steadily with what he had to say, +not sparing them a word of the preamble; and it was not +till ten minutes later that Lucy started up with a sudden +cry of incredulity and wonder, and repeated his last +words. "His son!—whose son?" cried Lucy. She looked all +round her, not knowing whom to appeal to in her sudden +consternation. "We never had a brother," said the child of +Mr Wodehouse's old age; "it must be some mistake." +There was a dead pause after these words. When she +looked round again, a sickening conviction came to Lucy's +heart that it was no mistake. She rose up without knowing +it, and looked round upon all the people, who were +watching her with various looks of pity and curiosity and +spectator-interest. Mr Waters had stopped speaking, and +the terrible stranger made a step forward with an air that +identified him. It was at him that Mr Proctor was staring, +who cleared his voice a great many times, and came +forward to the middle of the room and looked as if he +meant to speak; and upon him every eye was fixed except +Mr Wentworth's, who was watching Lucy, and Miss +Wodehouse's, which were hidden in her hands. "We +never had a brother," she repeated, faltering; and then, in +the extremity of her wonder and excitement, Lucy turned +round, without knowing it, to the man whom her heart +instinctively appealed to. "Is it true?" she said. She held +out her hands to him with a kind of entreaty not to say so. +Mr Wentworth made no reply to her question. He said +only, "Let me take you away—it is too much for you," +bending down over her, without thinking what he did, and +drawing her hand through his arm. "She is not able for any +more," said the Curate, hurriedly; "afterwards we can +explain to her." If he could have remembered anything +about himself at the moment, it is probable that he would +have denied himself the comfort of supporting Lucy—he, +a man under ban; but he was thinking only of her, as he +stood facing them all with her arm drawn through his; +upon which conjunction the Rector and the late Rector +looked with a grim aspect, disposed to interfere, but not +knowing how.</p> + +<p>"All this may be very interesting to you," said the +stranger out of his beard; "if Lucy don't know her brother, +it is no fault of mine. Mr Waters has only said half he has +got to say; and as for the rest, to sum it up in half-a-dozen +words, I'm very glad to see you in my house, gentlemen, +and I hope you will make yourselves at home. Where +nobody understands, a man has to speak plain. I've been +turned out all my life and, by Jove! I don't mean to stand +it any longer. The girls can have what their father's left +them," said the vagabond, in his moment of triumph. +"They aint my business no more than I was theirs. The +property is freehold, and Waters is aware that I'm the +heir."</p> + +<p>Saying this, Wodehouse drew a chair to the table, and +sat down with emphasis. He was the only man seated in +the room, and he kept his place in his sullen way amid the +excited group which gathered round him. As for Miss +Wodehouse, some sense of what had happened penetrated +even her mind. She too rose up and wiped her tears from +her face, and looked round, pale and scared, to the +Curate. "I was thinking—of speaking to Lucy. I meant to +ask her—to take you back, Tom," said the elder sister. +"Oh, Mr Wentworth, tell me, for heaven's sake, what +does it mean?"</p> + +<p>"If I had only been permitted to explain," said Mr +Waters; "my worthy partner died intestate—his son is his +natural heir. Perhaps we need not detain the ladies longer, +now that they understand it. All the rest can be better +arranged with their representative. I am very sorry to add +to their sufferings today," said the polite lawyer, opening +the door; "everything else can be made the subject of an +arrangement." He held the door open with a kind of civil +coercion compelling their departure. The familiar room +they were in no longer belonged to the Miss Wodehouses. +Lucy drew her arm out of Mr Wentworth's, and took her +sister's hand.</p> + +<p>"You will be our representative," she said to him, out of +the fulness of her heart. When the door closed, the +Perpetual Curate took up his position, facing them all with +looks more lofty than belonged even to his Wentworth +blood. They had kept him from exercising his office at his +friend's grave, but nobody could take from him the still +nobler duty of defending the oppressed.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXXIV.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">When</span> the door closed upon Lucy and her sister, Mr +Wentworth stood by himself, facing the other people +assembled. The majority of them were more surprised, +more shocked, than he was; but they were huddled +together in their wonder at the opposite end of the table, +and had somehow a confused, half-conscious air of being +on the other side.</p> + +<p>"It's a very extraordinary revelation that has just been +made to us," said Dr Marjoribanks. "I am throwing no +doubt upon it, for my part; but my conviction was, that +Tom Wodehouse died in the West Indies. He was just the +kind of man to die in the West Indies. If it's you," said +the Doctor, with a growl of natural indignation, "you have +the constitution of an elephant. You should have been +dead ten years ago, at the very least; and it appears to me +there would be some difficulty in proving identity, if +anybody would take up that view of the question." As he +spoke, Dr Marjoribanks walked round the new-comer, +looking at him with medical criticism. The Doctor's eyes +shot out fiery hazel gleams as he contemplated the heavy +figure. "More appearance than reality," he muttered to +himself, with a kind of grim satisfaction, poising a forefinger +in air, as if to prove the unwholesome flesh; and +then he went round to the other elbow of the unexpected +heir. "The thing is now, what you mean to do for them, to +repair your father's neglect," he said, tapping peremptorily +on Wodehouse's arm.</p> + +<p>"There is something else to be said in the mean time," +said Mr Wentworth. "I must know precisely how it is that +a state of affairs so different from anything Mr Wodehouse +could have intended has come about. The mere absence of a +will does not seem to me to explain it. I should like to have Mr +Brown's advice—for my own satisfaction, if nothing else."</p> + +<p>"The parson has got nothing to do with it, that I can +see," said Wodehouse, "unless he was looking for a legacy, +or that sort of thing. As for the girls, I don't see what right +I have to be troubled; they took deuced little trouble with +me. Perhaps they'd have taken me in as a sort of footman +without pay—you heard what they said, Waters? By Jove! +I'll serve Miss Mary out for that," said the vagabond. +Then he paused a little, and, looking round him, moderated +his tone. "I've been badly used all my life," said the +prodigal son. "They would never give me a hearing. They +say I did heaps of things I never dreamt of. Mary aint +above thinking of her own interest—"</p> + +<p>Here Mr Proctor came forward from the middle of the +room where he had been standing in a perplexed manner +since the ladies went away. "Hold—hold your tongue, +sir!" said the late Rector; "haven't you done enough injury +already—" When he had said so much, he stopped as +abruptly as he had begun, and seemed to recollect all at +once that he had no title to interfere.</p> + +<p>"By Jove!" said Wodehouse, "you don't seem to think I +know what belongs to me, or who belongs to me. Hold +<i>your</i> tongue, Waters; I can speak for myself. I've been +long enough snubbed by everybody that had a mind. I +don't mean to put up with this sort of thing any longer. +Any man who pleases can consult John Brown. I recollect +John Brown as well as anybody in Carlingford. It don't +matter to me what he says, or what anybody says. The +girls are a parcel of girls, and I am my father's son, as it +happens. I should have thought the parson had enough on +his hands for one while," said the new heir, in the insolence +of triumph. "He tried patronising me, but that wouldn't +answer. Why, there's his brother, Jack Wentworth, his +elder brother, come down here purposely to manage +matters for me. He's the eldest son, by Jove! and one of +the greatest swells going. He has come down here on +purpose to do the friendly thing by me. We're great +friends, by Jove! Jack Wentworth and I; and yet here's a +beggarly younger brother, that hasn't a penny—"</p> + +<p>"Wodehouse," said Mr Wentworth, with some contempt, +"sit down and be quiet. You and I have some things to talk +of which had better not be discussed in public. Leave Jack +Wentworth's name alone, if you are wise, and don't +imagine that I am going to bear your punishment. Be +silent, sir!" cried the Curate, sternly; "do you suppose I +ask any explanations from you? Mr Waters, I want to hear +how this has come about? When I saw you in this man's +interest some time ago, you were not so friendly to him. +Tell me how it happens that he is now your client, and that +you set him forth as the heir!"</p> + +<p>"By Jove, the parson has nothing to do with it! Let him +find it out," muttered Wodehouse in his beard; but the +words were only half audible, and the vagabond's shabby +soul was cowed in spite of himself. He gave the lawyer a +furtive thrust in the arm as he spoke, and looked at him a +little anxiously; for the position of a man standing lawfully +on his natural rights was new to Wodehouse; and all his +certainty of the facts did not save him from a sensation of +habit which suggested that close examination was alarming, +and that something might still be found out. As for Mr +Waters, he looked with placid contempt at the man, who +was not respectable, and still had the instincts of a +vagabond in his heart.</p> + +<p>"I am perfectly ready to explain," said the irreproachable +solicitor, who was quite secure in his position. "The +tone of the request, however, might be modified a little; +and as I don't, any more than Mr Wodehouse, see exactly +what right Mr Wentworth has to demand—"</p> + +<p>"I ask an explanation, not on my own behalf, but for the +Miss Wodehouses, who have made me their deputy," said +the Curate, "for their satisfaction, and that I may consult +Mr Brown. You seem to forget that all <i>he</i> gains they lose; +which surely justifies their representative in asking how +did it come about?"</p> + +<p>It was at this point that all the other gentlemen present +pressed closer, and evinced an intention to take part. Dr +Marjoribanks was the first to speak. He took a pinch of +snuff, and while he consumed it looked from under his +grizzled sandy eyebrows with a perplexing mixture of +doubt and respect at the Perpetual Curate. He was a man +of some discrimination in his way, and the young man's +lofty looks impressed him a little in spite of himself.</p> + +<p>"Not to interrupt the explanation," said Dr Marjoribanks, +"which we'll all be glad to hear—but Mr +Wentworth's a young man, not possessed, so far as I am +aware, of any particular right;—except that he has been +very generous and prompt in offering his services," said +the Doctor, moved to the admission by a fiery glance from +the Curate's eye, which somehow did not look like the eye +of a guilty man. "I was thinking, an old man, and an old +friend, like myself, might maybe be a better guardian for +the ladies' interests—"</p> + +<p>Mr Proctor, who had been listening very anxiously, was +seized with a cough at this moment, which drowned out +the Doctor's words. It was a preparatory cough, and out of +it the late Rector rushed into speech. "I have come from—from +Oxford to be of use," said the new champion. "My +time is entirely at my own—at Miss Wodehouse's—at the +Miss Wodehouses' disposal. I am most desirous to be of +use," said Mr Proctor, anxiously. And he advanced close +to the table to prefer his claim.</p> + +<p>"Such a discussion seems quite unnecessary," said Mr +Wentworth, with some haughtiness. "I shall certainly do +in the mean time what has been intrusted to me. At +present we are simply losing time."</p> + +<p>"But—" said the Rector. The word was not of importance +nor uttered with much resolution, but it arrested Mr +Wentworth more surely than the shout of a multitude. He +turned sharp round upon his adversary, and said "Well?" +with an air of exasperation; while Wodehouse, who had +been lounging about the room in a discomfited condition, +drew near to listen.</p> + +<p>"I am comparatively a stranger to the Miss Wodehouses," +said Mr Morgan; "still I am their clergyman; and I think +with Dr Marjoribanks, that a young man like Mr Wentworth, +especially a man so seriously compromised—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, stop! I do think you are all a great deal too hard +upon Mr Wentworth," said the lawyer, with a laugh of +toleration, which Wodehouse echoed behind him with a +sense of temerity that made his laughter all the louder. He +was frightened, but he was glad to make himself offensive, +according to his nature. Mr Wentworth stood alone, for his +part, and had to put up with the laugh as he best could.</p> + +<p>"If any one here wishes to injure me with the Miss +Wodehouses, an opportunity may easily be found," said +the Curate, with as much composure as he could muster; +"and I am ready to relinquish my charge when they call +on me to do so. In the mean time, this is not the place to +investigate my conduct. Sit down, sir, and let us be free of +your interference for this moment at least," he said, +fiercely, turning to the new heir. "I warn you again, you +have nothing but justice to expect at my hands. Mr +Waters, we wait your explanations." He was the tallest +man in the room, which perhaps had something to do with +it; the youngest, best born, and best endowed. That he +would have carried the day triumphantly in the opinion of +any popular audience, there could be no kind of doubt. +Even in this middle-aged unimpressionable assembly, his +indignant self-control had a certain influence. When he +drew a chair towards the table and seated himself, the +others sat down unawares, and the lawyer began his story +without any further interruption. The explanation of all +was, that Mr Wodehouse, like so many men, had an +ambition to end his days as a country gentleman. He had +set his heart for years on an estate in the neighbourhood of +Carlingford, and had just completed his long-contemplated +purchase at the moment of his last seizure. Nobody knew, +except the Curate and the lawyer, what the cause of that +seizure was. They exchanged looks without being aware of +it, and Wodehouse, still more deeply conscious, uttered, +poor wretch! a kind of gasp, which sounded like a laugh to +the other horrified spectators. After all, it was his crime +which had brought him his good fortune, for there had +been an early will relating to property which existed no +longer—property which had been altogether absorbed in +the newly-acquired estate. "I have no doubt my late +excellent partner would have made a settlement had the +time been permitted him," said Mr Waters. "I have not +the slightest doubt as to his intentions; but the end was +very unexpected at the last. I suppose death always is +unexpected when it comes," said the lawyer, with a little +solemnity, recollecting that three of his auditors were +clergymen. "The result is painful in many respects; but +law is law, and such accidents cannot be entirely avoided. +With the exception of a few trifling personal matters, and +the furniture, and a little money at the bank, there is +nothing but freehold property, and of course the son takes +that. I can have no possible objection to your consulting +Mr Brown; but Mr Brown can give you no further information." +If there had been any little hope of possible +redress lingering in the mind of the perplexed assembly, +this brought it to a conclusion. The heir, who had been +keeping behind with an impulse of natural shame, came +back to the table when his rights were so clearly established. +He did not know how to behave himself with a good grace, +but he was disposed to be conciliatory, as far as he could, +especially as it began to be disagreeably apparent that the +possession of his father's property might not make any +particular difference in the world's opinion of himself.</p> + +<p>"It aint my fault, gentlemen," said Wodehouse. "Of +course, I expected the governor to take care of the girls. +I've been kept out of it for twenty years, and that's a long +time. By Jove! I've never known what it was to be a rich +man's son since I was a lad. I don't say I won't do +something for the girls if they behave to me as they ought; +and as for you, gentlemen, who were friends of the family, +I'll always be glad to see you in my house," he said, with +an attempt at a friendly smile. But nobody took any notice +of the overtures of the new heir.</p> + +<p>"Then they have nothing to depend upon," said Mr +Proctor, whose agitated looks were the most inexplicable +feature of the whole—"no shelter even; no near relations I +ever heard of—and nobody to take care of Lucy if—" +Here he stopped short and went to the window, and stood +looking out in a state of great bewilderment. The late +Rector was so buried in his own thoughts, whatever they +might be, that he did not pay any attention to the further +conversation which went on behind him—of which, however, +there was very little—and only came to himself +when he saw Mr Wentworth go rapidly through the garden. +Mr Proctor rushed after the Perpetual Curate. He might +be seriously compromised, as Mr Morgan said; but he was +more sympathetic than anybody else in Carlingford under +present circumstances; and Mr Proctor, in his middle-aged +uncertainty, could not help having a certain confidence in +the young man's promptitude and vigour. He made up to +him out of breath when he was just entering George +Street. Carlingford had paid what respect it could to Mr +Wodehouse's memory; and now the shutters were being +taken off the shop-windows, and people in general were +very willing to reward themselves for their self-denial by +taking what amusement they could out of the reports +which already began to be circulated about the way in +which the Miss Wodehouses were "left." When the late +Rector came up with the Perpetual Curate opposite +Masters's shop there was quite a group of people there +who noted the conjunction. What could it mean? Was +there going to be a compromise? Was Carlingford to be +shamefully cheated out of the "investigation," and all the +details about Rosa Elsworthy, for which it hungered? Mr +Proctor put his arm through that of the Curate of St +Roque's, and permitted himself to be swept along by the +greater impetus of the young man's rapid steps, for at this +moment, being occupied with more important matters, the +late Rector had altogether forgotten Mr Wentworth's +peculiar position, and the cloud that hung over him.</p> + +<p>"What a very extraordinary thing!" said Mr Proctor. +"What could have betrayed old Wodehouse into such a +blunder! He must have known well enough. This son—this +fellow—has been living all the time, of course. It is quite +inexplicable to me," said the aggrieved man. "Do you +know if there are any aunts or uncles—any people whom +poor little Lucy might live with, for instance, if—" And +here Mr Proctor once more came to a dead stop. Mr +Wentworth, for his part, was so far from thinking of her as +"poor little Lucy," that he was much offended by the +unnecessary commiseration.</p> + +<p>"The sisters will naturally remain together," he said; +"and, of course, there are many people who would be but +too glad to receive them. Miss Wodehouse is old enough to +protect her sister—though, of course, the balance of +character is on the other side," said the inconsiderate +young man; at which Mr Proctor winced, but made no +definite reply.</p> + +<p>"So you think there are people she could go to?" said +the late Rector, after a pause. "The thing altogether is so +unexpected, you know. My idea was—"</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon," said the Curate; "I must see Mr +Brown, and this is about the best time to find him at home. +Circumstances make it rather awkward for me to call at +the Rectory just now," he continued, with a smile smile—"circumstances +over which I have no control, as people +say; but perhaps you will stay long enough to see me put +on my trial. Good-bye now."</p> + +<p>"Stop a moment," said Mr Proctor; "about this trial. +Don't be affronted—I have nothing to do with it, you +know; and Morgan means very well, though he's stupid +enough. I should like to stand your friend, Wentworth; +you know I would. I wish you'd yield to tell me all about +it. If I were to call on you to-night after dinner—for +perhaps it would put Mrs Hadwin out to give me a chop?"</p> + +<p>The Curate laughed in spite of himself. "Fellows of All-Souls +don't dine on chops," he said, unable to repress a +gleam of amusement; "but come at six, and you shall have +something to eat, as good as I can give you. As for telling +you all about it," said Mr Wentworth, "all the world is +welcome to know as much as I know."</p> + +<p>Mr Proctor laid his hand on the young man's arm, by +way of soothing him. "We'll talk it all over," he said, +confidentially; "both this affair, and—and the other. We +have a good deal in common, if I am not much mistaken, +and I trust we shall always be good friends," said the +inexplicable man. His complexion heightened considerably +after he had made this speech, which conveyed nothing +but amazement to the mind of the Curate; and then he +shook hands hastily, and hurried back again towards Grange +Lane. If there had been either room or leisure in Frank +Wentworth's mind for other thoughts, he might have +laughed or puzzled over the palpable mystery; but as it +was, he had dismissed the late Rector entirely from his +mind before he reached the door of Mr Brown's room, +where the lawyer was seated alone. John Brown, who was +altogether a different type of man from Mr Waters, held +out his hand to his visitor, and did not look at all surprised +to see him. "I have expected a call from you," he said, +"now that your old friend is gone, from whom you would +naturally have sought advice in the circumstances. Tell +me what I can do for you;" and it became apparent to Mr +Wentworth that it was his own affairs which were +supposed to be the cause of his application. It may be +supposed after this that the Curate stated his real object +very curtly and clearly without any unnecessary words, to +the unbounded amazement of the lawyer, who, being a +busy man, and not a friend of the Wodehouses, had as yet +heard nothing of the matter. Mr Brown, however, could +only confirm what had been already said. "If it is really +freehold property, and no settlement made, there cannot +be any question about it," he said; "but I will see Waters +to-morrow and make all sure, if you wish it; though he +dares not mislead you on such a point. I am very sorry for +the ladies, but I don't see what can be done for them," +said Mr Brown; "and about yourself, Mr Wentworth?" +Perhaps it was because of a certain look of genuine confidence +and solicitude in John Brown's honest face that +the Curate's heart was moved. For the first time he +condescended to discuss the matter—to tell the lawyer, +with whom indeed he had but a very slight acquaintance +(for John Brown lived at the other end of Carlingford, and +could not be said to be in society), all he knew about Rosa +Elsworthy, and something of his suspicions. Mr Brown, +for his part, knew little of the Perpetual Curate in his +social capacity, but he knew about Wharfside, which was +more to the purpose; and having himself been truly in love +once in his life, commonplace as he looked, this honest +man did not believe it possible that Lucy Wodehouse's +representative could be Rosa Elsworthy's seducer—the +two things looked incompatible to the straightforward +vision of John Brown.</p> + +<p>"I'll attend at their investigation," he said, with a smile, +"which, if you were not particularly interested, you'd find +not bad fun, Mr Wentworth. These private attempts at +law are generally very amusing. I'll attend and look after +your interests; but you had better see that this Tom +Wodehouse,—I remember the scamp—he used to be bad +enough for anything,—don't give you the slip and get out +of the way. Find out if you can where he has been living +these two days. I'll attend to the other matter, too," the +lawyer said, cheerfully, shaking hands with his new client; +and the Curate went away with a vague feeling that +matters were about to come right somehow, at which he +smiled when he came to think of it, and saw how little +foundation he had for such a hope. But his hands were full +of business, and he had no time to consider his own affairs +at this particular moment. It seemed to him a kind of +profanity to permit Lucy to remain under the same roof +with Wodehouse, even though he was her brother; and Mr +Proctor's inquiries had stimulated his own feeling. There +was a certain pleasure, besides, in postponing himself and +his own business, however important, to her and her +concerns; and it was with this idea that he proceeded to +the house of his aunts, and was conducted to a little +private sitting-room appropriated to the sole use of Miss +Leonora, for whom he had asked. As he passed the door of +the drawing-room, which was ajar, he glanced in, and saw +his aunt Dora bending over somebody who wept, and +heard a familiar voice pouring out complaints, the general +sound of which was equally familiar, though he could not +make out a word of the special subject. Frank was startled, +notwithstanding his preoccupations, for it was the same +voice which had summoned him to Wentworth Rectory +which now poured out its lamentations in the Miss +Wentworths' drawing-room in Carlingford. Evidently +some new complication had arisen in the affairs of the +family. Miss Leonora was in her room, busy with the +books of a Ladies' Association, of which she was treasurer. +She had a letter before her from the missionary employed +by the society, which was a very interesting letter, and +likely to make a considerable sensation when read before +the next meeting. Miss Leonora was taking the cream off +this piece of correspondence, enjoying at once itself and +the impression it would make. She was slightly annoyed +when her nephew came in to disturb her. "The others are +in the drawing-room, as usual," she said. "I can't imagine +what Lewis could be thinking of, to bring you here. +Louisa's coming can make no difference to you."</p> + +<p>"So Louisa has come? I thought I heard her voice. What +has happened to bring Louisa here?" said the Curate, who +was not sorry to begin with an indifferent subject. Miss +Leonora shook her head and took up her letter.</p> + +<p>"She is in the drawing-room," said the strong-minded +aunt. "If you have no particular business with me, Frank, +you had better ask herself: of course, if you want me, I am +at your service—but otherwise I am busy, you see."</p> + +<p>"And so am I," said Mr Wentworth, "as busy as a man +can be whose character is at stake. Do you know I am to +be tried to-morrow? But that is not what I came to ask you +about."</p> + +<p>"I wish you would <i>tell</i> me about it," said Miss Leonora. +She got up from her writing-table and from the missionary's +letter, and abandoned herself to the impulses of nature. "I +have heard disagreeable rumours. I don't object to your +reserve, Frank, but things seem to be getting serious. +What does it mean?"</p> + +<p>The Curate had been much braced in his inner man by +his short interview with John Brown; that, and the representative +position he held, had made a wonderful change +in his feelings: besides, a matter which was about to +become so public could not be ignored. "It means only +that a good many people in Carlingford think me a villain," +said Mr Wentworth: "it is not a flattering idea; and it +seems to me, I must say, an illogical induction from the +facts of my life. Still it is true that some people think so—and +I am to be tried to-morrow. But in the mean time, +something else has happened. I know you are a good +woman, aunt Leonora. We don't agree in many things, +but that does not matter. There are two ladies in Carlingford +who up to this day have been rich, well off, well cared +for, and who have suddenly lost all their means, their +protector, even their home. They have no relations that I +know of. One of them is good for any exertion that may be +necessary," said the Curate, his voice softening with a far-off +masculine suggestion as of tears; "but she is young—too +young to contend with the world—and she is now +suffering her first grief. The other is old enough, but not +good for much—"</p> + +<p>"You mean the two Miss Wodehouses?" said Miss +Leonora. "Their father has turned out to be—bankrupt?—or +something?—"</p> + +<p>"Worse than bankrupt," said the Curate: "there is a +brother who takes everything. Will you stand by them—offer +them shelter?—I mean for a time. I don't know +anybody I should care to apply to but you."</p> + +<p>Miss Leonora paused and looked at her nephew. "First +tell me what you have to do with them," she asked. "If +there is a brother, he is their natural protector—certainly +not you—unless there is something I don't know of. +Frank, you know you can't marry," said Miss Leonora, with +a little vehemence, once more looking in her nephew's face.</p> + +<p>"No," said Frank, with momentary bitterness; "I am +not likely to make any mistake about that—at present, at +least. The brother is a reprobate of whom they know +nothing. I have no right to consider myself their protector—but +I am their friend at least," said the Curate, breaking +off with again that softening in his voice. "They may have +a great many friends, for anything I know; but I have +confidence in you, aunt Leonora: you are not perhaps +particularly sympathetic," he went on, with a laugh; "you +don't condole with Louisa, for instance; but I could trust +you with—"</p> + +<p>"Lucy Wodehouse!" said Miss Leonora; "I don't dislike +her at all, if she would not wear that ridiculous grey cloak; +but young men don't take such an interest in young +women without some reason for it. What are we to do for +you, Frank?" said the strong-minded woman, looking at +him with a little softness. Miss Leonora, perhaps, was not +used to be taken into anybody's confidence. It moved her +more than might have been expected from so self-possessed +a woman. Perhaps no other act on the part of her nephew +could have had so much effect, had he been able to pursue +his advantage, upon the still undecided fate of Skelmersdale.</p> + +<p>"Nothing," said the Curate. He met her eye very +steadily, but she was too clear-sighted to believe that he +felt as calmly as he looked. "Nothing," he repeated again—"I +told you as much before. I have been slandered here, +and here I must remain. There are no parsonages or +paradises for me."</p> + +<p>With which speech Mr Wentworth shook hands with his +aunt and went away. He left Miss Leonora as he had left +her on various occasions—considerably confused in her +ideas. She could not enjoy any longer the cream of the +missionary's letter. When she tried to resume her reading, +her attention flagged over it. After a while she put on her +bonnet and went out, after a little consultation with her +maid, who assisted her in the housekeeping department. +The house was tolerably full at the present moment, but it +was elastic. She was met at the green door of Mr +Wodehouse's garden by the new proprietor, who stared +excessively, and did not know what to make of such an +apparition. "Jack Wentworth's aunt, by Jove!" he said to +himself, and took off his hat, meaning to show her "a little +civility." Miss Leonora thought him one of the attendants +at the recent ceremonial, and passed him without any +ceremony. She was quite intent upon her charitable mission. +Mr Wentworth's confidence was justified.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXV" id="CHAPTER_XXXV"></a>CHAPTER XXXV.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Mr Wentworth's</span> day had been closely occupied up +to this point. He had gone through a great many emotions, +and transacted a good deal of business, and he went home +with the comparative ease of a man whose anxieties are +relieved, not by any real deliverance, but by the soothing +influence of fatigue and the sense of something +accomplished. He was not in reality in a better position +than when he left his house in the morning, bitterly +mortified, injured, and wounded at the tenderest point. +Things were very much the same as they had been, but a +change had come over the feelings of the Perpetual +Curate. He remembered with a smile, as he went down +Grange Lane, that Mr Proctor was to dine with him, and +that he had rashly undertaken to have something better +than a chop. It was a very foolish engagement under the +circumstances. Mr Wentworth was cogitating within +himself whether he could make an appeal to the +sympathies of his aunt's cook for something worthy of the +sensitive palate of a Fellow of All-Souls, when all such +thoughts were suddenly driven out of his mind by the +apparition of his brother Gerald—perhaps the last man in +the world whom he could have expected to see in +Carlingford. Gerald was coming up Grange Lane in his +meditative way from Mrs Hadwin's door. To look at him +was enough to reveal to any clear-sighted spectator the +presence of some perpetual argument in his mind. Though +he had come out to look for Frank, his eyes were +continually forsaking his intention, catching spots of lichen +on the wall and clumps of herbage on the roadside. The +long discussion had become so familiar to him, that even +now, when his mind was made up, he could not relinquish +the habit which possessed him. When he perceived Frank, +he quickened his steps. They met with only such a +modified expression of surprise on the part of the younger +brother as was natural to a meeting of English kinsfolk. "I +heard Louisa's voice in my aunt's drawing-room," said +Frank; "but, oddly enough, it never occurred to me that +you might have come with her;" and then Gerald turned +with the Curate. When the ordinary family questions +were asked and answered, a silence ensued between the +two. As for Frank, in the multiplicity of his own cares, he +had all but forgotten his brother; and Gerald's mind, +though full of anxiety, had something of the calm which +might be supposed to subdue the senses of a dying man. +He was on the eve of a change, which appeared to him +almost as great as death; and the knowledge of that gave +him a curious stillness of composure—almost a reluctance +to speak. Strangely enough, each brother at this critical +moment felt it necessary to occupy himself with the affairs +of the other, and to postpone the consideration of his own.</p> + +<p>"I hope you have changed your mind a little since we +last met," said Frank; "your last letter—"</p> + +<p>"We'll talk of that presently," said the elder brother; +"in the mean time I want to know about <i>you</i>. What is all +this? My father is in a great state of anxiety. He does not +seem to have got rid of his fancy that you were somehow +involved with Jack—and Jack is here," said Gerald, with +a look which betokened some anxiety on his own part. "I +wish you would give me your confidence. Right or wrong, +I have come to stand by you, Frank," said the Rector of +Wentworth, rather mournfully. He had been waiting at +Mrs Hadwin's for the last two hours. He had seen that +worthy woman's discomposed looks, and felt that she did +not shake her head for nothing. Jack had been the +bugbear of the family for a long time past. Gerald was +conscious of adding heavily at the present moment to the +Squire's troubles. Charley was at Malta, in indifferent +health; all the others were boys. There was only Frank to +give the father a little consolation; and now Frank, it +appeared, was most deeply compromised of all; no wonder +Gerald was sad. And then he drew forth the anonymous +letter which had startled all the Wentworths on the +previous night. "This is written by somebody who hates +you," said the elder brother; "but I suppose there must be +some meaning in it. I wish you would be frank with me, +and tell me what it is."</p> + +<p>This appeal had brought them to Mrs Hadwin's door, +which the Curate opened with his key before he answered +his brother. The old lady herself was walking in the +garden in a state of great agitation, with a shawl thrown +over the best cap, which she had put on in honour of the +stranger. Mrs Hadwin's feelings were too much for her at +that moment. Her head was nodding with the excitement +of age, and injured virtue trembled in every line of her +face. "Mr Wentworth, I cannot put up with it any longer; +it is a thing I never was used to," she cried, as soon as the +Curate came within hearing. "I have shut my eyes to a +great deal, but I cannot bear it any longer. If I had been a +common lodging-house keeper, I could not have been +treated with less respect; but to be outraged—to be +insulted—"</p> + +<p>"What is the matter, Mrs Hadwin?" said Mr +Wentworth, in dismay.</p> + +<p>"Sir," said the old lady, who was trembling with +passion, "you may think it no matter to turn a house +upside down as mine has been since Easter; to bring all +sorts of disreputable people about—persons whom a gentlewoman +in my position ought never to have heard of. I +received your brother into my house," cried Mrs Hadwin, +turning to Gerald, "because he was a clergyman and I +knew his family, and hoped to find him one whose principles +I could approve of. I have put up with a great deal, +Mr Wentworth, more than I could tell to anybody. I took +in his friend when he asked me, and gave him the spare +room, though it was against my judgment. I suffered a +man with a beard to be seen stealing in and out of my +house in the evening, as if he was afraid to be seen. You +gentlemen may not think much of that, but it was a +terrible thing for a lady in my position, unprotected, and +not so well off as I once was. It made my house like a +lodging-house, and so my friends told me; but I was so +infatuated I put up with it all for Mr Frank's sake. But +there <i>is</i> a limit," said the aggrieved woman. "I would not +have believed it—I <i>could</i> not have believed it of you—not +whatever people might say: to think of that abandoned +disgraceful girl coming openly to my door—"</p> + +<p>"Good heavens!" cried the Curate: he seized Mrs +Hadwin's hand, evidently forgetting everything else she +had said. "What girl?—whom do you mean? For heaven's +sake compose yourself and answer me. Who was it? Rosa +Elsworthy? This is a matter of life and death for me," +cried the young man. "Speak quickly: when was it?—where +is she? For heaven's sake, Mrs Hadwin, speak—"</p> + +<p>"Let me go, sir!" cried the indignant old lady; "let me go +this instant—this is insult upon insult. I appeal to you, Mr +Gerald—to think I should ever be supposed capable of +encouraging such a horrid shameless—! How dare you—how +dare you name such a creature to me?" exclaimed +Mrs Hadwin, with hysterical sobs. "If it were not for your +family, you should never enter my house again. Oh, thank +you, Mr Gerald Wentworth—indeed I am not able to +walk. I am sure I don't want to grieve you about your +brother—I tried not to believe it—I tried as long as I could +not to believe it—but you hear how he speaks. Do you +think, sir, I would for a moment permit such a creature to +enter my door?" she cried again, turning to Frank +Wentworth as she leaned upon his brother's arm.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what kind of a creature the poor girl is," +said the Curate; "but I know that if you had taken her in, +it would have saved me much pain and trouble. Tell me, +at least, when she came, and who saw her—or if she left +any message? Perhaps Sarah will tell me," he said, with a +sigh of despair, as he saw that handmaiden hovering +behind. Sarah had been a little shy of Mr Wentworth since +the night Wodehouse disappeared. She had betrayed herself +to the Curate, and did not like to remember the fact. +Now she came up with a little toss of her head and a sense +of equality, primed and ready with her reply.</p> + +<p>"I hope I think more of myself than to take notice of any +sich," said Sarah; but her instincts were more vivid than +those of her mistress, and she could not refrain from +particulars. "Them as saw her now, wouldn't see much in +her; I never see such a changed creature," said Sarah; +"not as I ever thought anything of her looks! a bit of a +shawl dragged around her, and her eyes as if they would +jump out of her head. Laws! she didn't get no satisfaction +here," said the housemaid, with a little triumph.</p> + +<p>"Silence, Sarah!" said Mrs Hadwin; "that is not a way to +speak to your clergyman. I'll go in, Mr Wentworth, please—I +am not equal to so much agitation. If Mr Frank will +come indoors, I should be glad to have an explanation—for +this sort of thing cannot go on," said the old lady. As +for the Curate he did not pay the least attention either to +the disapproval or the impertinence.</p> + +<p>"At what time did she come?—which way did she go?—did +she leave any message?" he repeated; "a moment's +common-sense will be of more use than all this indignation. +It is of the greatest importance to me to see Rosa +Elsworthy. Here's how it is, Gerald," said the Curate, +driven to his wit's end; "a word from the girl is all I want to +make an end of all this—this disgusting folly—and you see +how I am thwarted. Perhaps they will answer <i>you</i>. When +did she come?—did she say anything?" he cried, turning +sharply upon Sarah, who, frightened by Mr Wentworth's +look, and dismayed to see her mistress moving away, and +to feel herself alone opposed to him, burst at last into an +alarmed statement.</p> + +<p>"Please, sir, it aint no fault of mine," said Sarah; "it was +Missis as saw her. She aint been gone not half an hour. It's +all happened since your brother left. She come to the +side-door; Missis wouldn't hear nothing she had got to say, +nor let her speak. Oh, Mr Wentworth, don't you go after +her!" cried the girl, following him to the side-door, to +which he rushed immediately. Not half an hour gone! Mr +Wentworth burst into the lane which led up to Grove +Street, and where there was not a soul to be seen. He went +back to Grange Lane, and inspected every corner where +she could have hid herself. Then, after a pause, he walked +impetuously up the quiet road, and into Elsworthy's shop. +Mrs Elsworthy was there alone, occupying her husband's +place, who had gone as usual to the railway for the +evening papers. She jumped up from the high stool she +was seated on when the Curate entered. "Good gracious, +Mr Wentworth!" cried the frightened woman, and +instinctively called the errand-boy, who was the only +other individual within hearing. She was unprotected, and +quite unable to defend herself if he meant anything; and it +was impossible to doubt that there was meaning of the +most serious and energetic kind in Mr Wentworth's face.</p> + +<p>"Has Rosa come back?" he asked. "Is she here? Don't +stare at me, but speak. Has she come back? I have just +heard that she was at my house half an hour ago: have you +got her safe?"</p> + +<p>It was at this moment that Wodehouse came lounging +in, with his cigar appearing in the midst of his beard, and a +curious look of self-exhibition and demonstration in his +general aspect. When the Curate, hearing the steps, +turned round upon him, he fell back for a moment, not +expecting such an encounter. Then the vagabond recovered +himself, and came forward with the swagger which was his +only alternative.</p> + +<p>"I thought you weren't on good terms here," said +Wodehouse; "who are you asking after? It's a fine evening, +and they don't seem up to much in my house. I have +asked Jack Wentworth to the Blue Boar at seven—will +you come? I don't want to bear any grudge. I don't know +if they can cook anything fit to be eaten in my house. It +wasn't me you were asking after?" The fellow came and +stood close, shoulder to shoulder, by the Perpetual +Curate. "By Jove, sir! I've as good a right here as you—or +anywhere," he muttered, as Mr Wentworth withdrew +from him. He had to say it aloud to convince himself of the +fact; for it was hard, after being clandestine for half a +lifetime, to move about freely in the daylight. As for Mr +Wentworth, he fixed his eyes full on the new-comer's face.</p> + +<p>"I want to know if Rosa has come home," he repeated, +in the clearest tones of his clear voice. "I am told she +called at Mrs Hadwin's half an hour ago. Has she come +back?"</p> + +<p>He scarcely noticed Mrs Elsworthy's answer, for, in the +mean time, the cigar dropped out of Wodehouse's beard, +out of his fingers. He made an involuntary step back out of +the Curate's way. "By Jove!" he exclaimed to himself—the +news was more important to him than to either of the +others. After a minute he turned his back upon them, and +kicked the cigar which he had dropped out into the street +with much blundering and unnecessary violence—but +turned round and stopped short in this occupation as soon +as he heard Mrs Elsworthy's voice.</p> + +<p>"She hasn't come here," said that virtuous woman, +sharply. "I've give in to Elsworthy a deal, but I never said +I'd give in to take her back. She's been and disgraced us +all; and she's not a drop's blood to me," said Mrs +Elsworthy. "Them as has brought her to this pass had best +look after her; I've washed my hands of Rosa, and all +belonging to her. She knows better than to come here."</p> + +<p>"Who's speaking of Rosa?" said Elsworthy, who just +then came in with his bundle of newspapers from the +railway. "I might have know'd as it was Mr Wentworth. +Matters is going to be cleared, sir, between me and you. If +you was going to make a proposal, I aint revengeful; and +I'm open to any arrangement as is honourable, to save +things coming afore the public. I've been expecting of it. +You may speak free, sir. You needn't be afraid of me."</p> + +<p>"Fool!" said the Curate, hotly, "your niece has been +seen in Carlingford; she came to my door, I am told, about +an hour ago. Give up this folly, and let us make an effort +to find her. I tell you she came to my house—"</p> + +<p>"In course, sir," said Elsworthy; "it was the most +naturalest place for her to go. Don't you stand upon it no +longer, as if you could deceive folks. It will be your ruin, +Mr Wentworth—you know that as well as I do. I aint no +fool but I'm open to a honourable proposal, I am. It'll ruin +you—ay, and I'll ruin you," cried Rosa's uncle, hoarsely—"if +you don't change your mind afore to-morrow. It's your +last chance, if you care for your character, is to-night."</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth did not condescend to make any answer. +He followed Wodehouse, who had shuffled out after his +cigar, and stopped him on the step. "I wonder if it is any +use appealing to your honour," he said. "I suppose you +were a gentleman once, and had the feelings of—"</p> + +<p>"By Jove! I'm as good a gentleman as you are," cried the +new heir. "I could buy you up—you and all that belongs to +you, by Jove! I'm giving Jack Wentworth a dinner at the +Blue Boar to-night. I'm not a man to be cross-questioned. +It appears to me you have got enough to do if you mind +your own business," said Wodehouse, with a sneer. +"You're in a nice mess, though you are the parson. I told +Jack Wentworth so last night."</p> + +<p>The Curate stood on the step of Elsworthy's shop with +his enemy behind, and the ungrateful vagabond whom he +had rescued and guarded, standing in front of him, with +that sneer on his lips. It was hard to refrain from the +natural impulse which prompted him to pitch the vagabond +out of his way. "Look here," he said, sharply, "you have +not much character to lose; but a scamp is a different thing +from a criminal. I will make the principal people in +Carlingford aware what were the precise circumstances +under which you came here at Easter if you do not +immediately restore this unhappy girl to her friends. Do +you understand me? If it is not done at once I will make +use of my information—and you know what that means. +You can defy me if you please; but in that case you had +better make up your mind to the consequences; you will +have to take your place as a—"</p> + +<p>"Stop!" cried Wodehouse, with a shiver. "We're not by +ourselves—we're in the public street. What do you mean +by talking like that here? Come to my house, Wentworth—there's +a good fellow—I've ordered a dinner—"</p> + +<p>"Be silent, sir!" said the Curate. "I give you till noon to-morrow; +after that I will spare you no longer. You understand +what I mean. I have been too merciful already. To-morrow, +if everything is not arranged to my satisfaction +here—"</p> + +<p>"It was my own name," said Wodehouse, sullenly; +"nobody can say it wasn't my own name. You couldn't do +me any harm—you know you wouldn't, either, for the +sake of the girls; I'll—I'll give them a thousand pounds or +so, if I find I can afford it. Come, you don't mean that sort +of thing, you know," said the conscious criminal; "you +wouldn't do me any harm."</p> + +<p>"If I have to fight for my own reputation I shall not +spare you," cried the Curate. "Mind what I say! You are +safe till twelve o'clock to-morrow; but after that I will +have no mercy—not for your sisters' sake, not for any +inducement in the world. If you want to be known as a—"</p> + +<p>"Oh Lord, don't speak so loud!—what do you mean? +Wentworth, I say, hist! Mr Wentworth! By Jove, he won't +listen to me!" cried Wodehouse, in an agony. When he +found that the Curate was already out of hearing, the +vagabond looked round him on every side with his natural +instinct of suspicion. If he had known that Mr Wentworth +was thinking only of disgrace and the stern sentence of +public opinion, Wodehouse could have put up with it; but +he himself, in his guilty imagination, jumped at the bar +and the prison which had haunted him for long. Somehow +it felt natural that such a Nemesis should come to him +after the morning's triumph. He stood looking after the +Curate, guilty and horror-stricken, till it occurred to him +that he might be remarked; and then he made a circuit +past Elsworthy's shop-window as far as the end of +Prickett's Lane, where he ventured to cross over so as to +get to his own house. His own house!—the wretched thrill +of terror that went through him was a very sufficient offset +against his momentary triumph; and this was succeeded +by a flush of rage as he thought of the Curate's other +information. What was to be done? Every moment was +precious; but he felt an instinctive horror of venturing out +again in the daylight. When it approached the hour at +which he had ordered that dinner at the Blue Boar, the +humbled hero wrapped himself in an old overcoat which +he found in the hall, and slunk into the inn like the +clandestine wretch he was. He had no confidence in +himself, but he had confidence in Jack Wentworth. He +might still be able to help his unlucky associate out.</p> + +<p>When Mr Wentworth reached his rooms, he found that +his guest had arrived before him, and consequently the +threatened explanation with Mrs Hadwin was forestalled +for that night. Mr Proctor and Gerald were sitting together, +not at all knowing what to talk about; for the late Rector +was aware that Frank Wentworth's brother was on the +verge of Rome, and was confused, and could not help +feeling that his position between a man on the point of +perversion in an ecclesiastical point of view, and another +whose morals were suspected and whose character was +compromised, was, to say the least, a very odd position for +a clergyman of unblemished orthodoxy and respectability; +besides, it was embarrassing, when he had come for a very +private consultation, to find a stranger there before him. +The Curate went in very full of what had just occurred. +The events of the last two or three hours had worked a +total change in his feelings. He was no longer the injured, +insulted, silent object of a petty but virulent persecution. +The contemptuous silence with which he had treated the +scandal at first, and the still more obstinate sense of wrong +which latterly had shut his lips and his heart, had given +way to-day to warmer and more generous emotions. What +would have seemed to him in the morning only the +indignant reserve of a man unjustly suspected, appeared +now a foolish and unfriendly reticence. The only thing +which restrained him was a still lingering inclination to +screen Wodehouse, if possible, from a public exposure, +which would throw shame upon his sisters as well as +himself. If any generosity, if any gentlemanly feeling, +were still left in the vagabond's soul, it was possible he +might answer the Curate's appeal; and Mr Wentworth felt +himself bound to offer no public explanation of the facts of +the case until this last chance of escape had been left for +the criminal. But, so far as regarded himself, his heart was +opened, his wounded pride mollified, and he was ready +enough to talk of what had just happened, and to explain +the whole business to his anxious companions. When he +joined them, indeed, he was so full of it as almost to forget +that he himself was still believed the hero of the tale. +"This unfortunate little girl has been here, and I have +missed her," he said, without in the least concealing his +vexation, and the excitement which his rapid walk had not +subdued; to the great horror of Mr Proctor, who tried all +he could, by telegraphic glances, to recall the young man +to a sense of that fact that Sarah was in the room.</p> + +<p>"I must say I think it is imprudent—highly imprudent," +said the late Rector: "they will call these women to prove +that she has been here again; and what conclusion but one +can possibly be drawn from such a fact? I am very sorry to +see you so unguarded." He said this, seizing the moment +after Sarah had removed the salmon, which was very +good, and was served with a sauce which pleased Mr +Proctor all the more that he had not expected much from +an impromptu dinner furnished by a Perpetual Curate; +but the fact was, that Gerald's arrival had awakened Mrs +Hadwin to a proper regard for her own credit, which was +at stake.</p> + +<p>When Sarah withdrew finally, and they were left alone, +Frank Wentworth gave the fullest explanation he was able +to his surprised auditors. He told them that it was +Wodehouse, and not himself, whom Rosa had met in the +garden, and whom she had no doubt come to seek at this +crisis of their fortunes. There was not the least doubt in his +own mind that Wodehouse had carried her away, and +hidden her somewhere close at hand; and when he had +given them all his reasons for thinking so, his hearers were +of the same opinion; but Mr Proctor continued very doubtful +and perplexed, clear though the story was. He sat +silent, brooding over the new mystery, while the brothers +discussed the original questions.</p> + +<p>"I cannot think why you did not go to the Rector at once +and tell him all this," said Gerald. "It is always best to put +a stop to gossip. At least you will see him to-morrow, or let +me see him—"</p> + +<p>"The Rector is deeply prejudiced against me," said the +Perpetual Curate, "for a very unworthy reason, if he has +any reason at all. He has never asked me to explain. I +shall not interfere with his investigation," said the young +man, haughtily; "let it go on. I have been working here for +five years, and the Carlingford people ought to know +better. As for the Rector, I will make no explanations to +him."</p> + +<p>"It is not for the Rector, it is for yourself," said Gerald; +"and this fellow Wodehouse surely has no claim—"</p> + +<p>But at the sound of this name, Mr Proctor roused +himself from his pause of bewilderment, and took the +words out of Mr Wentworth's mouth.</p> + +<p>"He has been here since Easter; but why?" said the late +Rector. "I cannot fancy why Mr Wodehouse's son should +come to you when his father's house was so near. In +hiding? why was he in hiding? He is evidently a scamp," +said Mr Proctor, growing red; "but that is not so unusual. I +don't understand—I am bound to say I don't understand +it. He may be the culprit, as you say; but what was he +doing here?"</p> + +<p>"I took him in at Miss Wodehouse's request. I cannot +explain why—<i>she</i> will tell you," said the Curate. "As for +Wodehouse, I have given him another chance till twelve +o'clock to-morrow: if he does not make his appearance +then—"</p> + +<p>Mr Proctor had listened only to the first words; he kept +moving uneasily in his seat while the Curate spoke. Then +he broke in, "It appears I cannot see Miss Wodehouse," he +said, with an injured tone; "she does not see any one. I +cannot ask for any explanation; but it seems to me most +extraordinary. It is three months since Easter. If he had +been living with you all the time, there must have been +some occasion for it. I don't know what to think, for my +part; and yet I always imagined that I was considered a +friend of the family," said the late Rector, with an +aggrieved look. He took his glass of claret very slowly, +looking at it as if expecting to see in the purple reflection +some explanation of the mystery. As for Gerald +Wentworth, he relapsed into silence when he found that +his arguments did not alter Frank's decision; he too was +disappointed not to find his brother alone. He sat with his +eyes cast down, and a singular look of abstraction on his +face. He had got into a new atmosphere—a different world. +When his anxieties about Frank were satisfied, Gerald +withdrew himself altogether from the little party. He sat +there, it is true, not unaware of what was going on, and +even from time to time joining in the conversation; but +already a subtle change had come over Gerald. He might +have been repeating an "office," or carrying on a course of +private devotions, from his looks. Rome had established +her dualism in his mind. He had no longer the unity of an +Englishman trained to do one thing at a time, and to do it +with his might. He sat in a kind of languor, carrying on +within himself a thread of thought, to which his external +occupation gave no clue; yet at the same time suffering no +indication to escape him of the real condition of his mind. +The three were consequently far from being good +company. Mr Proctor, who was more puzzled than ever as +to the true state of the case, could not unburden himself of +his own intentions as he had hoped to do; and after a while +the Curate, too, was silent, finding his statements received, +as he thought, but coldly. It was a great relief to +him when he was called out by Sarah to speak to some +one, though his absence made conversation still more +difficult for the two who were left behind. Mr Proctor, +from the other side of the table, regarded Gerald with a +mixture of wonder and pity. He did not feel quite sure that +it was not his duty to speak to him—to expound the +superior catholicity of the Church of England, and call his +attention to the schismatic peculiarities of the Church of +Rome. "It might do him good to read Burgon's book," Mr +Proctor said to himself; and by way of introducing that +subject, he began to talk of Italy, which was not a bad +device, and did credit to his invention. Meanwhile the +Curate had gone to his study, wondering a little who could +want him, and, to his utter bewilderment, found his aunt +Dora, veiled, and wrapped up in a great shawl.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frank, my dear, don't be angry! I couldn't help +coming," cried Miss Dora. "Come and sit down by me +here. I slipped out and did not even put on my bonnet, +that nobody might know. Oh, Frank, I don't know what to +say. I am so afraid you have been wicked. I have just seen +that—that girl. I saw her out of my window. Frank! don't +jump up like that. I can't go on telling you if you don't stay +quiet here."</p> + +<p>"Aunt, let me understand you," cried the Curate. "You +saw whom? Rosa Elsworthy? Don't drive me desperate, as +all the others do with their stupidity. You saw her? when?—where?"</p> + +<p>"Oh Frank, Frank! to think it should put you in such a +way—such a girl as that! Oh, my dear boy, if I had thought +you cared so much, I never would have come to tell you. +It wasn't to encourage you—it wasn't. Oh, Frank, Frank! +that it should come to this!" cried Miss Dora, shrinking +back from him with fright and horror in her face.</p> + +<p>"Come, we have no time to lose," said the Curate, who +was desperate. He picked up her shawl, which had fallen +on the floor, and bundled her up in it in the most summary +way. "Come, aunt Dora," said the impetuous young man; +"you know you were always my kindest friend. Nobody +else can help me at this moment. I feel that you are going +to be my deliverer. Come, aunt Dora—we must go and +find her, you and I. There is not a moment to lose."</p> + +<p>He had his arm round her, holding on her shawl. He +raised her up from her chair, and supported her, looking +at her as he had not done before since he was a boy at +school, Miss Dora thought. She was too frightened, too +excited, to cry, as she would have liked to do; but the +proposal was so terrible and unprecedented that she +leaned back trembling on her nephew's arm, and could +not move either to obey or to resist him. "Oh, Frank, I +never went after any improper person in my life," gasped +aunt Dora. "Oh, my dear, don't make me do anything that +is wrong; they will say it is my fault!" cried the poor lady, +gradually feeling herself obliged to stand on her feet and +collect her forces. The shawl fell back from her shoulders +as the Curate withdrew his arm. "You have lost my large +pin," cried aunt Dora, in despair; "and I have no bonnet. +And oh! what will Leonora say? I never, never would have +come to tell you if I had thought of this. I only came to +warn you, Frank. I only intended—"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the Curate. The emergency was +momentous, and he dared not lose patience. He found her +large pin even, while she stood trembling, and stuck it into +her shawl as if it had been a skewer. "You never would +have come if you had not been my guardian angel," said the +deceitful young man, whose heart was beating high with +anxiety and hope. "Nobody else would do for me what +you are going to do—but I have always had confidence in +my aunt Dora. Come, come! We have not a moment to +lose."</p> + +<p>This was how he overcame Miss Dora's scruples. Before +she knew what had happened she was being hurried +through the clear summer night past the long garden-walls +of Grange Lane. The stars were shining overhead, the +leaves rustling on all sides in the soft wind—not a soul to +be seen in the long line of darkling road. Miss Dora had no +breath to speak, however much disposed she might have +been. She could not remonstrate, having full occasion for +all her forces to keep her feet and her breath. When Mr +Wentworth paused for an instant to ask "which way did +she go?" it was all Miss Dora could do to indicate with her +finger the dark depths of Prickett's Lane. Thither she was +immediately carried as by a whirlwind. With a shawl over +her head, fastened together wildly by the big pin—with +nothing but little satin slippers, quite unfit for the exertion +required of them—with an agonised protest in her heart +that she had never, never in her life gone after any improper +person before—and, crowning misfortune of all, with a +horrible consciousness that she had left the garden-door +open, hoping to return in a few minutes, Miss Dora +Wentworth, single woman as she was, and ignorant of +evil, was whirled off in pursuit of the unfortunate Rosa +into the dark abysses of Prickett's Lane.</p> + +<p>While this terrible Hegira was taking place, Mr Proctor +sat opposite Gerald Wentworth, sipping his claret and +talking of Italy. "Perhaps you have not read Burgon's +book," said the late Rector. "There is a good deal of +valuable information in it about the Catacombs, and he +enters at some length into the question between the +Roman Church and our own. If you are interested in that, +you should read it," said Mr Proctor; "it is a very important +question."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Gerald; and then there followed a pause. +Mr Proctor did not know what to make of the faint passing +smile, the abstracted look, which he had vaguely observed +all the evening; and he looked so inquiringly across the +table that Gerald's new-born dualism came immediately +into play, to the great amazement of his companion. Mr +Wentworth talked, and talked well; but his eyes were still +abstracted, his mind was still otherwise occupied; and Mr +Proctor, whose own intelligence was in a state of unusual +excitement, perceived the fact without being at all able to +explain it. An hour passed, and both the gentlemen looked +at their watches. The Curate had left them abruptly +enough, with little apology; and as neither of them had +much interest in the other, nor in the conversation, it was +natural that the host's return should be looked for with +some anxiety. When the two gentlemen had said all they +could say about Italy—when Mr Proctor had given a little +sketch of his own experiences in Rome, to which his +companion did not make the usual response of narrating +his—the two came to a dead pause. They had now been +sitting for more than two hours over that bottle of Lafitte, +many thoughts having in the mean time crossed Mr +Proctor's mind concerning the coffee and the Curate. +Where could he have gone? and why was there not somebody +in the house with sense enough to clear away the +remains of dessert, and refresh the wearied interlocutors +with the black and fragrant cup which cheers all students? +Both of the gentlemen had become seriously uneasy by +this time; the late Rector got up from the table when he +could bear it no longer. "Your brother must have been +called away by something important," said Mr Proctor, +stiffly. "Perhaps you will kindly make my excuses. Mr +Morgan keeps very regular hours, and I should not like to +be late—"</p> + +<p>"It is very extraordinary. I can't fancy what can be the +reason—it must be somebody sick," said Gerald, rising +too, but not looking by any means sure that Frank's +absence had such a laudable excuse.</p> + +<p>"Very likely," said the late Rector, more stiffly than +ever. "You are living here, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"No; I am at Miss Wentworth's—my aunt's," said +Gerald. "I will walk with you;" and they went out together +with minds considerably excited. Both looked up and +down the road when they got outside the garden-gate: +both had a vague idea that the Curate might be visible +somewhere in conversation with somebody disreputable; +and one being his friend and the other his brother, they +were almost equally disturbed about the unfortunate young +man. Mr Proctor's thoughts, however, were mingled with +a little offence. He had meant to be confidential and +brotherly, and the occasion had been lost; and how was it +possible to explain the rudeness with which Mr Wentworth +had treated him? Gerald was still more seriously troubled. +When Mr Proctor left him, he walked up and down +Grange Lane in the quiet of the summer night, watching +for his brother. Jack came home smoking his cigar, +dropping Wodehouse, whom the heir of the Wentworths +declined to call his friend, before he reached his aunts' +door, and as much surprised as it was possible for him to +be, to find Gerald lingering, meditating, along the silent +road; but still Frank did not come. By-and-by a hurried +light gleamed in the window of the summer-house, and +sounds of commotion were audible in the orderly dwelling +of the Miss Wentworths; and the next thing that happened +was the appearance of Miss Leonora, also with a shawl +over her head, at the garden-door. Just then, when they +were all going to bed, Collins, Miss Dora's maid, had +come to the drawing-room in search of her mistress. She +was not to be found anywhere, though her bonnets and all +her outdoor gear were safe in their place. For the first time +in her life the entire family were startled into anxiety on +Miss Dora's account. As for Mrs Gerald Wentworth, she +jumped at once to the conclusion that the poor lady was +murdered, and that Frank must have something to do with +it, and filled the house with lamentations. Nobody went to +bed, not even aunt Cecilia, who had not been out of her +room at eleven o'clock for centuries. Collins had gone into +the summer-house and was turning over everything there +as if she expected to find her mistress's body in the +cupboard or under the sofa; Lewis, the butler, was hunting +through the garden with a lantern, looking under all the +bushes. No incident so utterly unaccountable had +occurred before in Miss Dora Wentworth's life.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXXVI.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">The</span> first investigation into the character of the Rev. F. C. +Wentworth, Curate of St Roque's was fixed to take +place in the vestry of the parish church, at eleven o'clock +on the morning of the day which followed this anxious +night. Most people in Carlingford were aware that the +Perpetual Curate was to be put upon his trial on that +sunny July morning; and there was naturally a good deal +of curiosity among the intelligent townsfolk to see how he +looked, and what was the aspect of the witnesses who were +to bear testimony for or against him. It is always interesting +to the crowd to see how a man looks at a great crisis of +his life—or a woman either, for that matter; and if a +human creature, at the height of joy, or in the depths of +sorrow, is a spectacle to draw everybody's eyes, there is a +still greater dramatic interest in the sight when hope and +fear are both in action, and the alternative hangs between +life or death. It was life or death to Mr Wentworth, +though the tribunal was one which could inflict no +penalties. If he should be found guilty, death would be a +light doom to the downfall and moral extinction which +would make an end of the unfaithful priest; and, +consequently, Carlingford had reason for its curiosity. +There was a crowd about the back entrance which led to +the shabby little sacristy where Mr Morgan and Mr Leeson +were accustomed to robe themselves; and scores of people +strayed into the church itself, and hung about, pretending +to look at the improvements which the Rector called +restorations. Mrs Morgan herself, looking very pale, was +in and out half-a-dozen times in the hour, talking with +terrible science and technicalism to Mr Finial's clerk of +works, who could not make her see that she was talking +Gothic—a language which had nothing to do with +Carlingford Church, that building being of the Revolution +or churchwarden epoch. She was a great deal too much +agitated at that moment to be aware of the distinction. As +for Mr Wentworth, it was universally agreed that, though +he looked a little flushed and excited, there was no +particular discouragement visible in his face. He went in +to the vestry with some eagerness, not much like a culprit +on his trial. The Rector, indeed, who was heated and +embarrassed and doubtful of himself, looked more like a +criminal than the real hero. There were six of the amateur +judges, of whom one had felt his heart fail him at the last +moment. The five who were steadfast were Mr Morgan, +Dr Marjoribanks, old Mr Western (who was a distant +cousin of the Wodehouses, and brother-in-law, though old +enough to be her grandfather, of the beautiful Lady +Western, who once lived in Grange Lane), and with them +Mr Centum, the banker, and old Colonel Chiley. Mr +Proctor, who was very uneasy in his mind, and much +afraid lest he should be called upon to give an account of +the Curate's behaviour on the previous night, had added +himself as a kind of auxiliary to this judicial bench. Mr +Waters had volunteered his services as counsellor, +perhaps with the intention of looking after the interests of +a very different client; and to this imposing assembly John +Brown had walked in, with his hands in his pockets, rather +disturbing the composure of the company in general, who +were aware what kind of criticism his was. While the bed +of justice was being arranged, a very odd little group +collected in the outer room, where Elsworthy, in a feverish +state of excitement, was revolving about the place from +the door to the window, and where the Miss Hemmings sat +up against the wall, with their drapery drawn up about +them, to show that they were of different clay from Mrs +Elsworthy, who, respectful but sullen, sat on the same +bench. The anxious public peered in at the door whenever +it had a chance, and took peeps through the window +when the other privilege was impossible. Besides the Miss +Hemmings and the Elsworthys there was Peter Hayles, +who also had seen something, and the wife of another +shopkeeper at the end of George Street; and there was the +Miss Hemmings' maid, who had escorted them on that +eventful night of Rosa's disappearance. Not one of the +witnesses had the smallest doubt as to the statement he or +she was about to make; they were entirely convinced of +the righteousness of their own cause, and the justice of the +accusation, which naturally gave a wonderful moral force +to their testimony. Besides—but that was quite a different +matter—they all had their little grudges against Mr +Wentworth, each in his secret heart.</p> + +<p>When Elsworthy was called in to the inner room it +caused a little commotion amid this company outside. The +Miss Hemmings looked at each other, not with an agreeable +expression of face. "They might have had the politeness +to call us first," Miss Sophia said to her sister; and +Miss Hemmings shook her head and sighed, and said, +"Dear Mr Bury!" an observation which meant a great +deal, though it did not seem perfectly relevant. "Laws! +I'll forget everything when I'm took in there," said the +shopkeeper's wife to Miss Hemmings' maid; and the ladies +drew still closer up, superior to curiosity, while the others +stretched their necks to get a peep into the terrible inner +room.</p> + +<p>It was indeed a formidable tribunal. The room was +small, so that the unfortunate witness was within the +closest range of six pairs of judicial eyes, not to speak of +the vigilant orbs of the two lawyers, and those of the +accused and his supporters. Mr Morgan, by right of his +position, sat at the end of the table, and looked very +severely at the first witness as he came in—which +Elsworthy did, carrying his hat before him like a kind of +shield, and polishing it carefully round and round. The +Rector was far from having any intention of discouraging +the witness, who was indeed his mainstay; but the anxiety +of his peculiar position, as being at once counsel for the +prosecution, and chief magistrate of the bed of justice, +gave an unusual sternness to his face.</p> + +<p>"Your name is George Elsworthy," said the Rector, +filling his pen with ink, and looking penetratingly in the +witness's face.</p> + +<p>"George Appleby Elsworthy," said Rosa's uncle, a little +alarmed; "not as I often signs in full; for you see, sir, it's a +long name, and life's short, and it aint necessary in the +way of business—"</p> + +<p>"Stationer and newsmonger in Carlingford," interrupted +the Rector; "I should say in Upper Grange Lane, +Carlingford; aged—?"</p> + +<p>"But it doesn't appear to me that newsmonger is a +correct expression," said old Mr Western, who was very +conversational; "newsmonger means a gossip, not a +tradesman; not that there is any reason why a tradesman +should not be a gossip, but—"</p> + +<p>"Aged?" said Mr Morgan, holding his pen suspended in +the air. "I will say newsvendor if that will be better—one +cannot be too particular—Aged—?"</p> + +<p>"He is come to years of discretion," said Dr +Marjoribanks, "that's all we need; don't keep us all day +waiting, man, but tell your story about this elopement of +your niece. When did it take place, and what are the +facts? Never mind your hat, but say out what you have got +to say."</p> + +<p>"You are much too summary, Doctor," said Mr Morgan, +with a little offence; but the sense of the assembly was +clearly with Dr Marjoribanks—so that the Rector dashed +in 45 as the probable age of the witness, and waited his +further statement.</p> + +<p>After this there was silence, and Elsworthy began his +story. He narrated all the facts of Rosa's disappearance, +with an intention and bias which made his true tale a +wonderful tacit accusation. Rage, revenge, a sense of +wrong, worked what in an indifferent narrator only the +highest skill could have wrought. He did not mention the +Curate's name, but arranged all his facts in lines like so +many trains of artillery. How Rosa was in the habit of +going to Mrs Hadwin's (it was contrary to Elsworthy's +instinct to bring in at this moment any reference to Mr +Wentworth) every night with the newspaper—"not as I +sent her of errands for common—keeping two boys for the +purpose," said the injured man; "but, right or wrong, +there's where she'd go as certain as the night come. I've +seen her with my own eyes go into Mrs Hadwin's garden-door, +which she hadn't no need to go in but for being +encouraged; and it would be half an hour at the least afore +she came out."</p> + +<p>"But, bless me! that was very imprudent of you," cried +Mr Proctor, who up to this time had not uttered a word.</p> + +<p>"There was nobody there but the old lady and her +maids—except the clergyman," said Elsworthy. "It wasn't +my part to think as she could get any harm from the +clergyman. She wouldn't hear no remonstrances from me; +she <i>would</i> go as regular as the evening come."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said Mr Waters, who saw John Brown's +humorous eye gleaming round upon the little assembly; +"but let us come to the immediate matter in hand. Your +niece disappeared from Carlingford on the—?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said Mr Western, "we must not sink into +conversation; that's the danger of all unofficial investigations. +It seems natural to let him tell his story as he +likes: but here we have got somebody to keep us in order. +It's natural, but it aint law—is it, Brown?"</p> + +<p>"I don't see that law has anything to do with it," said +John Brown, with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Order! order!" said the Rector, who was much goaded +and aggravated by this remark. "I request that there may +be no conversation. The witness will proceed with what he +has to say. Your niece disappeared on the 15th. What +were the circumstances of her going away?"</p> + +<p>"She went down as usual with the newspaper," said +Elsworthy; "it had got to be a custom as regular as regular. +She stopped out later nor common, and my wife and me +was put out. I don't mind saying, gentlemen," said the +witness, with candour, "as my missis and I wasn't +altogether of the same mind about Rosa. She was late, but +I can't say as I was anxious. It wasn't above a week afore +that Mr Wentworth himself brought her home safe, and it +was well known as he didn't like her to be out at night; so I +was easy in my mind, like. But when eleven o'clock came, +and there was no denying of its being past hours, I began +to get a little fidgety. I stepped out to the door, and I +looked up and down, and saw nobody; so I took up my hat +and took a turn down the road—"</p> + +<p>At this moment there was a little disturbance outside. A +voice at which the Curate started was audible, asking +entrance. "I must see Mr Wentworth immediately," this +voice said, as the door was partially opened; and then, +while his sons both rose to their feet, the Squire himself +suddenly entered the room. He looked round upon the +assembled company with a glance of shame and grief that +went to the Curate's heart. Then he bowed to the judges, +who were looking at him with an uncomfortable sense of +his identity, and walked across the room to the bench on +which Gerald and Frank were seated together. "I beg +your pardon, gentlemen," said the Squire, "if I interrupt +your proceedings; but I have only this moment arrived in +Carlingford, and heard what was going on, and I trust I +may be allowed to remain, as my son's honour is +concerned." Mr Wentworth scarcely waited for the assent +which everybody united in murmuring, but seated himself +heavily on the bench, as if glad to sit down anywhere. He +suffered Frank to grasp his hand, but scarcely gave it; nor, +indeed, did he look, except once, with a bitter momentary +glance at the brothers. They were sons a father might well +have been proud of, so far as external appearances went; +but the Squire's soul was bitter within him. One was about +to abandon all that made life valuable in the eyes of the +sober-minded country gentleman. The other—"And I +could have sworn by Frank," the mortified father was +saying in his heart. He sat down with a dull dogged +composure. He meant to hear it all, and have it proved to +him that his favourite son was a villain. No wonder that he +was disinclined to respond to any courtesies. He set himself +down almost with impatience that the sound of his +entrance should have interrupted the narrative, and +looked straight in front of him, fixing his eyes on +Elsworthy, and taking no notice of the anxious glances of +the possible culprit at his side.</p> + +<p>"I hadn't gone above a step or two when I see Mr +Hayles at his door. I said to him, 'It's a fine evening,'—as +so it was, and the stars shining. 'My Rosa aint been about +your place, has she?' I says; and he says, 'No.' But, +gentlemen, I see by the look of his eye as he had more to +say. 'Aint she come home yet?' says Mr Hayles—"</p> + +<p>"Stop a moment," said John Brown. "Peter Hayles is +outside, I think. If the Rector wishes to preserve any sort +of legal form in this inquiry, may I suggest that a conversation +repeated is not evidence? Let Elsworthy tell what +he knows, and the other can speak for himself."</p> + +<p>"It is essential we should hear the conversation," said +the Rector, "since I believe it was of importance. I believe +it is an important link in the evidence—I believe—"</p> + +<p>"Mr Morgan apparently has heard the evidence before," +said the inexorable John Brown.</p> + +<p>Here a little commotion arose in the bed of justice. +"Hush, hush," said Dr Marjoribanks; "the question is, +What has the witness got to say of his own knowledge? Go +on, Elsworthy; we can't possibly spend the whole day +here. Never mind what Hayles said, unless he +communicated something about the girl."</p> + +<p>"He told me as the Miss Hemmings had seen Rosa," said +Elsworthy, slowly; "had seen her at nine, or half after nine—I +won't be sure which—at Mrs Hadwin's gate."</p> + +<p>"The Miss Hemmings are outside. Let the Miss +Hemmings be called," said Mr Proctor, who had a great +respect for Mr Brown's opinion.</p> + +<p>But here Mr Waters interposed. "The Miss Hemmings +will be called presently," he said; "in the mean time let +this witness be heard out; afterwards his evidence will be +corroborated. Go on, Elsworthy."</p> + +<p>"The Miss Hemmings had seen my Rosa at Mrs +Hadwin's gate," repeated Elsworthy, "a-standing outside, +and Mr Wentworth a-standing inside; there aint more +respectable parties in all Carlingford. It was them as saw +it, not me. Gentlemen, I went back home. I went out +again. I went over all the town a-looking for her. Six +o'clock in the morning come, and I had never closed an +eye, nor took off my clothes, nor even sat down upon a +chair. When it was an hour as I could go to a gentleman's +house and no offence, I went to the place as she was last +seen. Me and Mr Hayles, we went together. The shutters +was all shut but on one window, which was Mr +Wentworth's study. We knocked at the garden-door, and +I aint pretending that we didn't make a noise; and, +gentlemen, it wasn't none of the servants—it was Mr +Wentworth hisself as opened the door."</p> + +<p>There was here a visible sensation among the judges. It +was a point that told. As for the Squire, he set his stick +firmly before him, and leaned his clasped hands upon it to +steady himself. His healthful, ruddy countenance was +paling gradually. If it had been an apostle who spoke, he +could not have taken in more entirely the bitter tale.</p> + +<p>"It was Mr Wentworth hisself, gentlemen," said the +triumphant witness; "not like a man roused out of his +sleep, but dressed and shaved, and his hair brushed, +as if it had been ten instead o' six. It's well known +in Carlingford as he aint an early man; and gentlemen +here knows it as well as me. I don't pretend as I could +keep my temper. I give him my mind, gentlemen, being +an injured man; but I said as—if he do his duty by +her—"</p> + +<p>"Softly a moment," said Mr Brown. "What had Mr +Wentworth's aspect at six o'clock in the morning to do +with Rosa Elsworthy's disappearance at nine on the +previous night?"</p> + +<p>"I don't see that the question is called for at the present +moment," said Mr Waters. "Let us hear what reasons you +have for attributing to Mr Wentworth an unusual degree +of interest in your niece."</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Elsworthy, "he come into my shop as regular +as the day; he never come but he asked after Rosa, or +spoke to her if she was there. One night he walked all the +way up Grange Lane and knocked at my door and brought +her in all of a glow, and said I wasn't to send her out late +no more. My missis, being a woman as is very particular, +was struck, and thought as harm might come of it; and, not +to be talked of, we sent Rosa away. And what does Mr +Wentworth do, but the moment he hears of it comes right +off to my shop! He had been at his own home, sir, a-visiting[ +his respected family," said Elsworthy, turning +slightly towards the side of the room where the father and +sons sat together. "He came to my shop with his carpet-bag +as he come off the railway, and he gave me my orders +as I was to bring Rosa back. What he said was, 'Directly,' +that very day. I never had no thought but what his +meaning was honourable—being a clergyman," said the +witness, with a heavy sigh; and then there ensued a little +pause.</p> + +<p>"The Miss Hemmings had better be called now," said +Mr Waters. "Elsworthy, you can retire; but we may +require you again, so you had better not go away. Request +Miss Hemmings to do us the favour of coming here."</p> + +<p>The Squire lifted his heavy eyes when the next witness +entered. She made a very solemn curtsy to the gentlemen, +and sat down on the chair which somebody placed for her. +Being unsupported, a lady—not to say an unmarried lady +profoundly conscious of the fact—among a number of +men, Miss Hemmings was naturally much agitated. She +was the eldest and the softest-hearted; and it occurred to +her for the first time, as she gave a frightened look +towards the Curate, that he was like her favourite younger +brother, who had died ever so many years ago—a thought +which, for the first time, made her doubtful of her +testimony, and disposed to break down in her evidence.</p> + +<p>"You were in Grange Lane on the evening of the 15th +ultimo," said Mr Morgan, after he had carefully written +down her name, "about nine o'clock?"</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, Mr Morgan," said the poor lady; "we were at +St Roque's Cottage drinking tea with Mrs Bland, who was +lodging with Mrs Smith in the same rooms Mrs Rider used +to have. I put the note of invitation in my pocket in case +there should be any doubt; but, indeed, poor Mrs Bland +was taken very ill on the 16th, and Dr Marjoribanks was +called, and he knows it could not be any other evening—and +besides—"</p> + +<p>"About nine o'clock," said Mr Waters; "did I understand +you, it was about nine o'clock?"</p> + +<p>"She was such an invalid, poor dear," said Miss +Hemmings, apologetically; "and it is such a privilege to +have real Christian conversation. We dined early on purpose, +and we were asked for half-past six. I think it must +have been a little after nine; but Mary is here, and she +knows what hour she came for us. Shall I call Mary, +please?"</p> + +<p>"Presently," said the counsel for the prosecution. "Don't +be agitated; one or two questions will do. You passed Mrs +Hadwin's door coming up. Will you kindly tell the gentlemen +what you saw there?"</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried Miss Hemmings. She looked round at the +Curate again, and he was more than ever like Willie who +died. "I—I don't take much notice of what I see in the +streets," she said, faltering; "and there are always so +many poor people going to see Mr Wentworth." Here the +poor lady stopped short. She had never considered before +what harm her evidence might do. Now her heart smote +her for the young man who was like Willie. "He is so very +kind to all the poor people," continued the unwilling +witness, looking doubtfully round into all the faces near +her; "and he's such a young man," she added, in her +tremulous way. It was Miss Sophia who was strong-minded; +all the poor women in Back Grove Street were +perfectly aware that their chances were doubled when +they found Miss Jane.</p> + +<p>"But you must tell us what you saw all the same," said +Dr Marjoribanks. "I daresay Mr Wentworth wishes it as +much as we do."</p> + +<p>The Curate got up and came forward with one of his +impulses. "I wish it a great deal more," he said. "My dear +Miss Hemmings, thank you for your reluctance to say +anything to harm me; but the truth can't possibly harm +me: tell them exactly what you saw."</p> + +<p>Miss Hemmings looked from one to another, and +trembled more and more. "I am sure I never meant to +injure Mr Wentworth," she said; "I only said I thought it +was imprudent of him—that was all I meant. Oh, I am +sure, if I had thought of this, I would rather have done +anything than say it. And whatever Sophia might have +imagined, I assure you, gentlemen, <i>I</i> never, never for a +moment thought Mr Wentworth meant any harm."</p> + +<p>"Never mind Mr Wentworth," said Mr Brown, who +now took the matter in hand. "When you were passing +Mrs Hadwin's house about nine o'clock on the evening of +the 15th, you saw some one standing at the door. Mr +Wentworth particularly wishes you to say who it was."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Brown—oh, Mr Morgan," cried the poor lady; +"it was little Rosa Elsworthy. She was a designing little +artful thing. When she was in my Sunday class, she was +always thinking of her vanities. Mr Wentworth was talking +to her at the garden-door. I daresay he was giving her +good advice; and oh, gentlemen, if you were to question +me for ever and ever, that is all I have got to say."</p> + +<p>"Did you not hear what they were talking about?" said +Mr Proctor. "If it was good advice—" The late Rector +stopped short, and grew red, and felt that his supposition +was that of a simpleton. "You heard what they were +talking about? What did they say?" he concluded, +peremptorily, in a tone which frightened the reluctant +witness more and more.</p> + +<p>"I did not hear a single word," she cried—"not a word. +That is all I know about it. Oh, please, let me go away. I +feel very faint. I should like a little cold water, please. I +did not hear a word—not a word. I have told you +everything I have got to say."</p> + +<p>Everybody looked more serious when Miss Hemmings +stumbled from her chair. She was so frightened at her own +testimony, and so unwilling to give it, that its importance +was doubled in the eyes of the inexperienced judges. The +Squire gave a low groan under his breath, and turned his +eyes, which had been fixed upon her, on the ground +instead; but raised them immediately, with a gleam of +anxiety as his son again rose from his side. All that the +Curate meant to do was to give the trembling lady his +arm, and lead her out; but the entire assembly, with the +exception of John Brown, started and stared as if he had +been about to take instant revenge upon the frightened +woman. Miss Hemmings burst into tears when Mr Wentworth +set a chair for her by the door, and brought her a +glass of water, in the outer room; and just then somebody +knocked and gave him a note, with which he returned to +the presence of the awful tribunal. Miss Sophia Hemmings +was corroborating her sister's statement when the +Perpetual Curate re-entered. He stood behind her quite +quietly, until she had finished, with a slight smile upon his +lips, and the note in his hand. Dr Marjoribanks was not +partial to Miss Sophia Hemmings. She was never ill +herself, and rarely permitted even her sister to enjoy the +gentle satisfaction of a day's sickness. The old Doctor +looked instead at the Perpetual Curate. When Miss +Hemmings withdrew, Dr Marjoribanks interposed. "It +appears to me that Mr Wentworth has something to say," +said the Doctor. "It is quite necessary that he should +have a hearing as well as the rest of us. Let Peter Hayles +wait a moment, till we hear what Mr Wentworth has to +say."</p> + +<p>"It is not yet time for us to receive Mr Wentworth's +statement," said the Rector. "He shall certainly be heard +in his own defence at the proper time. Mr Waters, call +Peter Hayles."</p> + +<p>"One moment," said the Curate. "I have no statement +to make, and I can wait till you have heard what everybody +has to say, if the Rector wishes it; but it might save +time and trouble to hear me. I have another witness +whom, up to this moment, I have been reluctant to bring +forward—a witness all-important for me, whom I cannot +produce in so public a place, or at an hour when everybody +is abroad. If you will do me the favour to adjourn +this inquiry till the evening, and to meet then in a private +house—in my own, or Miss Wentworth's, or wherever you +may appoint—I think I can undertake to make this whole +business perfectly clear."</p> + +<p>"Bless me!" said Mr Proctor, suddenly. This unexpected +and irrelevant benediction was the first sound distinctly +audible in the little stir of surprise, expectation, and +excitement which followed the Curate's speech. The +Squire let his stick fall out of his hands, and groped after it +to pick it up again. Hope had suddenly all at once come +into possession of the old man's breast. As for the Rector, +he was too much annoyed at the moment to speak.</p> + +<p>"You should have thought of this before," said Dr +Marjoribanks. "It would have been just as easy to fix this +meeting for the evening, and in a private house, and +would have saved time. You are very welcome to my +dining-room, if you please; but I don't understand why it +could not have been settled so at once, and saved our +time," said the Doctor; to which sentiment there were +several murmurs of assent.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," said the Curate, whose eyes were sparkling +with excitement, "you must all know in your hearts +that this trial ought never to have taken place. I have +lived among you for five years, and you ought to have +known me by this time. I have never been asked for an +explanation, neither could any explanation which it was +possible for me to make have convinced a mind prejudiced +against me," he said, after a moment's pause, with a +meaning which everybody understood. "It is only now +that I feel myself able to clear up the whole matter, and it +is for this reason alone that I ask you to put off your +inquiry till to-night."</p> + +<p>"I don't feel inclined to consent to any adjournment," +said Mr Morgan; "it looks like an attempt to defeat the +ends of justice." The Rector was very much annoyed—more +than he dared confess to himself. He believed in his +heart that young Wentworth was guilty, and he felt equally +convinced that here was some unexpected loophole +through which he would escape. But public opinion was +strong in Grange Lane—stronger than a new Rector. The +Banker and the Doctor and the Indian Colonel, not to +speak of old Mr Western, were disposed to grant the +request of the Curate; and when even Mr Proctor forsook +his side, the Rector himself yielded. "Though it is against +my judgment," he said, "and I see no advantage to be +gained by it, the meeting had better be held in the +Rectory, this evening at seven o'clock."</p> + +<p>"Most of us dine at seven o'clock," said Dr Marjoribanks.</p> + +<p>"This evening at eight o'clock," said the Rector, +severely. "I will request all the witnesses to be in attendance, +and we must hope to find Mr Wentworth's witness +of sufficient importance to justify the change. At eight +o'clock this evening, in my house, gentlemen," said the +Rector. He collected his notes and went outside, and +began talking to his witnesses, while the others collected +together round the table to consult over this new phase of +the affair. The three Mr Wentworths went out together, +the father between his two tall sons. The Squire's strength +was much shaken, both in mind and body. When they +were out of the shadow of the church, he looked up in +Frank's face.</p> + +<p>"I hope you consider me entitled to an immediate +explanation," said Mr Wentworth. "When I read that +anonymous letter, it went a long way towards breaking my +heart, sir; I can tell you it did. Jack here too, and your +brother making up his mind as he has done, Frank. I am +not a man to complain. If it were all over with me to-morrow, +I shouldn't be sorry, so far as I am concerned, if +it weren't for the girls and the little children. But I always +thought I could have sworn by Frank," said the old man, +mournfully. He was ever so much older since he had said +these words before in the long lime avenue at Wentworth +Hall.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXXVII"></a>CHAPTER XXXVII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">The</span> little assembly which met in the vestry of Carlingford +Church to inquire into the conduct of the Perpetual +Curate, had so many different interests in hands when it +dispersed, and so much to do, that it is difficult for the +narrator of this history to decide which thread should be +taken up first. Of all the interlocutors, however, perhaps +Mr Proctor was the one who had least succeeded in his +efforts to explain himself, and accordingly demands in the +first place the attention of an impartial historian. The +excellent man was still labouring under much perplexity +when the bed of justice was broken up. He began to +recollect that Mr Wentworth's explanation on the previous +night had convinced him of his innocence, and to see that +it was indeed altogether inconceivable that the Curate +should be guilty; but then, other matters still more disagreeable +to contemplate than Mr Wentworth's guilt came +in to darken the picture. This vagabond Wodehouse, +whom the Curate had taken in at his sister's request—what +was the meaning of that mystery? Mr Proctor had +never been anyhow connected with mysteries; he was +himself an only son, and had lived a straightforward +peaceable life. Neither he nor his estimable parents, so far +as the late Rector was aware, had ever done anything to +be ashamed of; and he winced a little at the thought of +connecting himself with concealment and secrecy. And +then the Curate's sudden disappearance on the previous +evening perplexed and troubled him. He imagined all +kinds of reasons for it as he walked down Grange Lane. +Perhaps Miss Wodehouse, who would not receive himself, +had sent for Mr Wentworth; perhaps the vagabond brother +was in some other scrape, out of which he had to be +extricated by the Curate's assistance. Mr Proctor was +perfectly honest, and indeed determined, in his +"intentions;" but everybody will allow that for a middle-aged +lover of fifty or thereabouts, contemplating a +sensible match with a lady of suitable years and means, to +find suddenly that the object of his affections was not only +a penniless woman, but the natural guardian of an equally +penniless sister, was startling, to say the least of it. He was +a true man, and it did not occur to him to decline the +responsibility altogether; on the contrary, he was perhaps +more eager than he would have been otherwise, seeing +that his elderly love had far more need of his devotion +than he had ever expected her to have; but, notwithstanding, +he was disturbed by such an unlooked-for change +of circumstances, as was natural, and did not quite know +what was to be done with Lucy. He was full of thoughts on +this subject as he proceeded towards the house, to the +interview which, to use sentimental language, was to +decide his fate. But, to tell the truth, Mr Proctor was not +in a state of very deep anxiety about his fate. The idea of +being refused was too unreasonable an idea to gain much +ground in his mind. He was going to offer his personal +support, affection, and sympathy to Miss Wodehouse at +the least fortunate moment in her life; and if there was +anything consolatory in marriage at all, the late Rector +sensibly concluded that it must be doubly comforting +under such circumstances, and that the offer of an honest +man's hand and house and income was not a likely thing to +be rejected by a woman of Miss Wodehouse's experience +and good sense—not to speak of his heart, which was very +honest and true and affectionate, though it had outlived +the fervours of youth. Such was Mr Proctor's view of the +matter; and the chances were strong that Miss Wodehouse +entirely agreed with him—so, but for a certain shyness +which made him rather nervous, it would not be correct to +say that the late Rector was in a state of special anxiety +about the answer he was likely to receive. He was, +however, anxious about Lucy. His bachelor mind was +familiar with all the ordinary traditions about the inexpediency +of being surrounded by a wife's family; and he +had a little of the primitive male sentiment, shared one +way or other by most husbands, that the old system of +buying a woman right out, and carrying her off for his own +sole and private satisfaction, was, after all, the correct +way of managing such matters. To be sure, a pretty, +young, unmarried sister, was perhaps the least objectionable +encumbrance a woman could have; but, notwithstanding, +Mr Proctor would have been glad could he have seen any +feasible way of disposing of Lucy. It was utterly out of the +question to think of her going out as a governess; and it +was quite evident that Mr Wentworth, even were he +perfectly cleared of every imputation, having himself +nothing to live upon, could scarcely offer to share his +poverty with poor Mr Wodehouse's cherished pet and +darling. "I daresay she has been used to live expensively," +Mr Proctor said to himself, wincing a little in his own mind +at the thought. It was about one o'clock when he reached +the green door—an hour at which, during the few months +of his incumbency at Carlingford, he had often presented +himself at that hospitable house. Poor Mr Wodehouse! Mr +Proctor could not help wondering at that moment how he +was getting on in a world where, according to ordinary +ideas, there are no lunch nor dinner parties, no old port +nor savoury side-dishes. Somehow it was impossible to +realise Mr Wodehouse with other surroundings than those +of good-living and creature-comfort. Mr Proctor sighed, +half for the departed, half at thought of the strangeness of +that unknown life for which he himself did not feel much +more fitted than Mr Wodehouse. In the garden he saw the +new heir sulkily marching about among the flower-beds +smoking, and looking almost as much out of place in the +sweet tranquillity of the English garden, as a churchwarden +of Carlingford or a Fellow of All-Souls could look, +to carry out Mr Proctor's previous imagination, in the +vague beatitude of a disembodied heaven. Wodehouse +was so sick of his own company that he came hastily +forward at the sight of a visitor, but shrank a little when he +saw who it was.</p> + +<p>"I suppose you have brought some news," he said, in +his sullen way. "I suppose he has been making his statements, +has he? Much I care! He may tell what lies he +pleases; he can't do me any harm. I never did anything +but sign my own name, by Jove! Jack Wentworth himself +says so. I don't care <i>that</i> for the parson and his threats," +said Wodehouse, snapping his fingers in Mr Proctor's face. +The late Rector drew back a little, with a shudder of +disgust and resentment. He could not help thinking that +this fellow would most likely be his brother-in-law presently, +and the horror he felt made itself visible in his face.</p> + +<p>"I am quite unaware what you can mean," said Mr +Proctor. "I am a parson, but I never made any threats +that I know of. I wish to see Miss Wodehouse. I—I think +she expects me at this hour," he said, with a little +embarrassment, turning to John, who, for his part, had been +standing by in a way which became his position as a respectable +and faithful servant, waiting any opportunity that +might come handy to show his disgust for the new <i>régime</i>.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said John, promptly, and with emphasis. +"My mistress expects you, sir. She's come down to the +drawing-room for the first time. Miss Lucy keeps her +room, sir, still; she's dreadfully cut up, poor dear young +lady. My mistress will be glad to see you, sir," said John. +This repetition of a title which Miss Wodehouse had not +been in the habit of receiving was intended for the special +advantage of the new master, whom John had no intention +of recognising in that capacity. "If you should know of any +one, sir, as is in want of a steady servant," the man +continued, as he led the way into the house, with a shrewd +glance at Mr Proctor, whose "intentions" were legible +enough to John's experienced eyes—"not as I'm afeared +of getting suited, being well known in Carlingford; but it +would come natural to be with a friend of the family. +There aint a servant in the house, sir, as will stay when +the ladies go, and I think as Miss Wodehouse would speak +for me," said John, with natural astuteness. This address +made Mr Proctor a little uneasy. It recalled to him the +unpleasant side of the important transaction in which he +was about to engage. He was not rich, and did not see his +way now to any near prospect of requiring the services of +"a steady servant," and the thought made him sigh.</p> + +<p>"We'll see," he said, with a troubled look. To persevere +honourably in his "intentions" was one thing, but to be +insensible to the loss of much he had looked forward to +was quite another. It was accordingly with a grave and +somewhat disturbed expression that he went to the interview +which was "to decide his fate." Miss Wodehouse was +seated in the drawing-room, looking slightly flushed and +excited. Though she knew it was very wrong to be thus +roused into a new interest the day after her father's +funeral, the events altogether had been of so startling a +description that the usual decorum of an afflicted household +had already been ruthlessly broken. And on the +whole, notwithstanding her watching and grief, Mr Proctor +thought he had never seen the object of his affections +looking so well as she did now in the long black dress, +which suited her better than the faint dove colours in +which she arrayed herself by preference. She was not, it is +true, quite sure what Mr Proctor wanted in this interview +he had solicited, but a certain feminine instinct instructed +her in its probable eventualities. So she sat in a subdued +flutter, with a little colour fluctuating on her cheek, a tear +in her eyes, and some wonder and expectation in her +heart. Perhaps in her youth Miss Wodehouse might have +come to such a feminine crisis before; but if so, it was long +ago, and the gentle woman had never been given to +matrimonial speculations, and was as fresh and inexperienced +as any girl. The black frame in which she was set +made her soft colour look fresher and less faded. Her +plaintive voice, the general softness of her demeanour, +looked harmonious and suitable to her circumstances. Mr +Proctor, who had by no means fallen in love with her on +account of any remnants of beauty she might possess, had +never admired her so much as he did now; he felt confused, +good man, as he stood before her, and, seeing her +so much younger and fairer than his former idea, began to +grow alarmed, and wonder at his serenity. What if she +thought him an old fogey? what if she refused him? This +supposition brought a crimson colour to Mr Proctor's +middle-aged countenance, and was far from restoring his +courage. It was a wonderful relief to him when she, with +the instinct of a timid woman, rushed into hasty talk.</p> + +<p>"It was very kind of you to come yesterday," she said; +"Lucy and I were very grateful. We have not many +relatives, and my dear father—"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the late Rector, again embarrassed by the +tears which choked her voice, "he was very much respected: +that must be a consolation to you. And he had a long life—and—and +I suppose, on the whole, a happy one," said Mr +Proctor, "with you and your sister—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Proctor, he had a great deal to put up with," +said Miss Wentworth, through her tears. She had, like most +simple people, an instinctive disinclination to admit that +anybody was or had been happy. It looked like an admission +of inferiority. "Mamma's death, and poor Tom," said +the elder sister. As she wiped her eyes, she almost forgot +her own little feminine flutter of expectancy in respect to +Mr Proctor himself. Perhaps it was not going to happen +this time, and as she was pretty well assured that it would +happen one day or another, she was not anxious about it. +"If I only knew what to do about Tom," she continued, +with a vague appeal in her voice.</p> + +<p>Mr Proctor got up from his chair and walked to the +window. When he had looked out he came back, rather +surprising Miss Wodehouse by his unlooked-for movements. +"I wanted very much to have a little conversation +with you," he said, growing again very red. "I daresay +you will be surprised—but I have accepted another living, +Miss Wodehouse;" and here the good man stopped short +in a terrible state of embarrassment, not knowing what +next to say.</p> + +<p>"Yes?" said Miss Wodehouse, interrogatively. Her heart +began to beat quicker, but perhaps he was only going to +tell her about the new work he had undertaken; and then +she was a woman, and had some knowledge, which came +by nature, how to conduct herself on an occasion such as +this.</p> + +<p>"I don't know whether you recollect," said Mr Proctor—"I +shall never forget it—one time when we all met in a +house where a woman was dying,—I mean your sister and +young Wentworth, and you and I;—and neither you nor I +knew anything about it," said the late Rector, in a strange +voice. It was not a complimentary way of opening his +subject, and the occurrence had not made so strong an +impression upon Miss Wodehouse as upon her companion. +She looked a little puzzled, and, as he made a pause, gave +only a murmur of something like assent, and waited to +hear what more he might have to say.</p> + +<p>"We neither of us knew anything about it," said Mr +Proctor—"neither you how to manage her, nor I what to +say to her, though the young people did. I have always +thought of you from that time. I have thought I should like +to try whether I was good for anything now—if you would +help me," said the middle-aged lover. When he had said +this he walked to the window, and once more looked out, +and came back redder than ever. "You see we are neither +of us young," said Mr Proctor; and he stood by the table +turning over the books nervously, without looking at her, +which was certainly an odd commencement for a wooing.</p> + +<p>"That is quite true," said Miss Wodehouse, rather +primly. She had never disputed that fact by word or deed, +but still it was not pleasant to have the statement thus +thrust upon her without any apparent provocation. It was +not the sort of thing which a woman expects to have said to +her under such circumstances. "I am sure I hope you will +do better—I mean be more comfortable—this time," she +continued, after a pause, sitting very erect on her seat.</p> + +<p>"If you will help me," said Mr Proctor, taking up one of +the books and reading the name on it, which was lucky for +him, for it was Miss Wodehouse's name, which he either +had forgotten or never had known.</p> + +<p>And here they came to a dead stop. What was she to +say? She was a little affronted, to tell the truth, that he +should remember more distinctly than anything else her +age, and her unlucky failure on that one occasion. "You +have just said that I could not manage," said the mild +woman, not without a little vigour of her own; "and how +then could I help you, Mr Proctor? Lucy knows a great +deal more about parish work than I do," she went on in a +lower tone; and for one half of a second there arose in the +mind of the elder sister a kind of wistful half envy of Lucy, +who <i>was</i> young, and knew how to manage—a feeling +which died in unspeakable remorse and compunction as +soon as it had birth.</p> + +<p>"But Lucy would not have me," said the late Rector; +"and indeed I should not know what to do with her if she +would have me;—but you—It is a small parish, but it's not +a bad living. I should do all I could to make you comfortable. +At least we might try," said Mr Proctor, in his most +insinuating tone. "Don't you think we might try? at least it +would do—" He was going to say "no harm," but on second +thoughts rejected that expression. "At least I should be +very glad if you would," said the excellent man, with +renewed confusion. "It's a nice little rectory, with a pretty +garden, and all that sort of thing; and—and perhaps—it +might help you to settle about going away—and—and I +daresay there would be room for Lucy. Don't you think +you would try?" cried Mr Proctor, volunteering, in spite of +himself, the very hospitality which he had thought it hard +might be required of him; but somehow his suit seemed to +want backing at the actual moment when it was being +made.</p> + +<p>As for Miss Wodehouse, she sat and listened to him till +he began to falter, and then her composure gave way all at +once. "But as for trying," she gasped, in broken mouthfuls +of speech, "that would never—never do, Mr Proctor. It +has to be done—done for good and all—if—if it is done at +all," sobbed the poor lady, whose voice came somewhat +muffled through her handkerchief and her tears.</p> + +<p>"Then it shall be for good and all!" cried Mr Proctor, +with a sudden impulse of energy. This was how it came +about that Miss Wodehouse and the late Rector were +engaged. He had an idea that he might be expected to kiss +her, and certainly ought to call her Mary after this; and +hovered for another minute near her seat, not at all +disinclined for the former operation. But his courage +failed him, and he only drew a chair a little closer and sat +down, hoping she would soon stop crying. And indeed, by +the time that he produced out of his pocket-book the little +photograph of the new rectory, which he had had made for +her by a rural artist, Miss Wodehouse had emerged out of +her handkerchief, and was perhaps in her heart as happy +in a quiet way as she had ever been in her life. She who had +never been good for much, was now, in the time of their +need, endowed with a home which she could offer Lucy. It +was she, the helpless one of the family, who was to be her +young sister's deliverer. Let it be forgiven to her if, in the +tumult of the moment, this was the thought that came +first.</p> + +<p>When Miss Wodehouse went up-stairs after this agitating +but satisfactory interview, she found Lucy engaged in +putting together some books and personal trifles of her +own which were scattered about the little sitting-room. +She had been reading 'In Memoriam' until it vexed her to +feel how inevitably good sense came in and interfered +with the enthusiasm of her grief, making her sensible that +to apply to her fond old father all the lofty lauds which +were appropriate to the poet's hero would be folly indeed. +He had been a good tender father to her, but he was not +"the sweetest soul that ever looked with human eyes;" and +Lucy could not but stop in her reading with a kind of pang +and self-reproach as this consciousness came upon her. +Miss Wodehouse looked rather aghast when she found her +sister thus occupied. "Did you think of accepting Miss +Wentworth's invitation, after all?" said Miss Wodehouse; +"but, dear, I am afraid it would be awkward; and oh, +Lucy, my darling, I have so many things to tell you," said +the anxious sister, who was shy of communicating her own +particular news. Before many minutes had passed, Lucy +had thrown aside all the books, and was sitting by her +sister's side in half-pleased, disconcerted amazement to +hear her story. Only half-pleased—for Lucy, like most +other girls of her age, thought love and marriage were things +which belonged only to her own level of existence, and +was a little vexed and disappointed to find that her elder +sister could condescend to such youthful matters. On the +whole, she rather blushed for Mary, and felt sadly as if she +had come down from an imaginary pedestal. And then Mr +Proctor, so old and so ordinary, whom it was impossible to +think of as a bridegroom, and still less as a brother. "I +shall get used to it presently," said Lucy, with a burning +flush on her cheek, and a half feeling that she had reason +to be ashamed; "but it is so strange to think of you in that +way, Mary. I always thought you were too—too sensible +for that sort of thing," which was a reproach that went to +Miss Wodehouse's heart.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Lucy, dear," said that mild woman, who in this +view of the matter became as much ashamed of herself as +Lucy could desire, "what could I do? I know what you +mean, at my time of life; but I could not let you be +dependent on Tom, my darling," said Miss Wodehouse, +with a deprecating appealing look.</p> + +<p>"No indeed," said Lucy; "that would be impossible +under any circumstances: nor on you either, Mary dear. I +can do something to make a living, and I should like it. I +have always been fond of work. I will not permit you to +sacrifice yourself for me," said the younger sister, with +some dignity. "I see how it has been. I felt sure it was not +of your own accord."</p> + +<p>Miss Wodehouse wrung her hands with dismay and +perplexity. What was she to do if Lucy stood out and +refused her consent? She could not humble herself so far +as to confess that she rather liked Mr Proctor, and was, on +the whole, not displeased to be married; for the feeling +that Lucy expected her to be too sensible for that sort of +thing overawed the poor lady. "But, Lucy, I have given +him my promise," said poor Miss Wodehouse. "It—it +would make him very unhappy. I can't use him badly, +Lucy dear."</p> + +<p>"I will speak to him, and explain if it is necessary. +Whatever happens, I can't let you sacrifice yourself for +me," said Lucy. All the answer Miss Wodehouse could +make was expressed in the tears of vexation and +mortification which rushed to her eyes. She repelled her +young sister's ministrations for the first time in her life +with hasty impatience. Her troubles had not been few for +the last twenty-four hours. She had been questioned +about Tom till she had altogether lost her head, and +scarcely knew what she was saying; and Lucy had not +applauded that notable expedient of throwing the shame +of the family upon Mr Wentworth, to be concealed and +taken care of, which had brought so many vexations to the +Perpetual Curate. Miss Wodehouse at last was driven to +bay. She had done all for the best, but nobody gave her +any credit for it; and now this last step, by which she had +meant to provide a home for Lucy, was about to be +contradicted and put a stop to altogether. She put away +Lucy's arm, and rejected her consolations. "What is the +use of pretending to be fond of me if I am always to be +wrong, and never to have my—my own way in anything?" +cried the poor lady, who, beginning with steadiness, broke +down before she reached the end of her little speech. The +words made Lucy open her blue eyes with wonder; and +after that there followed a fuller explanation, which greatly +changed the ideas of the younger sister. After her +"consent" had been at last extracted from her, and when +Miss Wodehouse regained her composure, she reported to +Lucy the greater part of the conversation which had taken +place in the drawing-room, of which Mr Proctor's proposal +constituted only a part, and which touched upon matters +still more interesting to her hearer. The two sisters, preoccupied +by their father's illness and death, had up to this +time but a vague knowledge of the difficulties which +surrounded the Perpetual Curate. His trial, which Mr +Proctor had reported to his newly-betrothed, had been +unsuspected by either of them; and they were not even +aware of the event which had given rise to it—the +disappearance of Rosa Elsworthy. Miss Wodehouse told +the story with faltering lips, not being able to divest +herself of the idea that, having been publicly accused, Mr +Wentworth must be more or less guilty; while, at the same +time, a sense that her brother must have had something to +do with it, and a great reluctance to name his name, +complicated the narrative. She had already got into trouble +with Lucy about this unlucky brother, and unconsciously, +in her story, she took an air of defence. "I should have +thought better of Mr Wentworth if he had not tried to +throw the guilt on another," said the perplexed woman. +"Oh, Lucy dear, between two people it is so hard to know +what to do."</p> + +<p>"I know what I shall do," said Lucy, promptly; but she +would not further explain herself. She was, however, +quite roused up out of 'In Memoriam.' She went to her desk +and drew out some of the paper deeply edged with black, +which announced before words its tale of grief to all her +correspondents. It was with some alarm that Miss +Wodehouse awaited this letter, which was placed before +her as soon as finished. This was what, as soon as she knew +the story, Lucy's prompt and generous spirit said:—</p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">Dear Mr Wentworth</span>,— +We have just heard of the +vexations you have been suffering, to our great indignation +and distress. Some people may think it is a matter with +which I have no business to interfere; but I cannot have +you think for a moment, that we, to whom you have been +so kind, could put the slightest faith in any such accusations +against you. We are not of much consequence, but we are +two women, to whom any such evil would be a horror. If it +is any one connected with us who has brought you into this +painful position, it gives us the more reason to be indignant +and angry. I know now what you meant about the will. If +it was to do over again, I should do just the same; but for +all that, I understand now what you meant. I understand, +also, how much we owe to you, of which, up to yesterday, +I was totally unaware. You ought never to have been +asked to take our burden upon your shoulders. I suppose +you ought not to have done it; but all the same, thank you +with all my heart. I don't suppose we ever can do anything +for you to show our gratitude; and indeed I do not believe +in paying back. But in the mean time, thank you—and +don't, from any consideration for us, suffer a stain which +belongs to another to rest upon yourself. You are a clergyman, +and your reputation must be clear. Pardon me for +saying so, as if I were qualified to advise you; but it would +be terrible to think that you were suffering such an injury +out of consideration for us.—Gratefully and truly yours,</p> +<p class="right"> +"<span class="smallcaps">Lucy Wodehouse</span>."<br /> +</p> + +<p>The conclusion of this letter gave Lucy a good deal of +trouble. Her honest heart was so moved with gratitude +and admiration that she had nearly called herself +"affectionately" Mr Wentworth's. Why should not she? +"He has acted like a brother to us," Lucy said to herself; +and then she paused to inquire whether his conduct had +indeed arisen from brotherly motives solely. Then, when +she had begun to write "faithfully" instead, a further +difficulty occurred to her. Not thus lightly and unsolicited +could she call herself "faithful," for did not the word mean +everything that words could convey in any human +relationship? When she had concluded it at last, and +satisfied her scruples by the formula above, she laid the +letter before her sister. This event terminated the active +operations of the day in the dwelling of the Wodehouses. +Their brother had not asked to see them, had not +interrupted them as yet in their retreat up-stairs, where +they were sedulously waited upon by the entire household. +When Miss Wodehouse's agitation was over, she too +began to collect together her books and personalities, and +they ended by a long consultation where they were to go +and what they were to do, during the course of which the +elder sister exhibited with a certain shy pride that little +photograph of the new rectory, in which there was one +window embowered in foliage, which the bride had +already concluded was to be Lucy's room. Lucy yielded +during this sisterly conference to sympathetic thoughts +even of Mr Proctor. The two women were alone in the +world. They were still so near the grave and the deathbed +that chance words spoken without thought from time to +time awakened in both the ready tears. Now and then +they each paused to consider with a sob what <i>he</i> would +have liked best. They knew very little of what was going +on outside at the moment when they were occupied with +those simple calculations. What was to become of them, as +people say—what money they were to have, or means of +living—neither was much occupied in thinking of. They +had each other; they had, besides, one a novel and timid +middle-aged confidence, the other an illimitable youthful +faith in one man in the world. Even Lucy, whose mind +and thoughts were more individual than her sister's, +wanted little else at that moment to make her happy with +a tender tremulous consolation in the midst of her grief.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXXVIII"></a>CHAPTER XXXVIII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">While</span> matters were thus arranging themselves in the +ideas at least of the two sisters whose prospects had been +so suddenly changed, explanations of a very varied kind +were going on in the house of the Miss Wentworths. It was +a very full house by this time, having been invaded and +taken possession of by the "family" in a way which entirely +obliterated the calmer interests and occupations of +the habitual inhabitants. The three ladies had reached the +stage of life which knows no personal events except those +of illness and death; and the presence of Jack Wentworth, +of Frank and Gerald, and even of Louisa, reduced them +altogether to the rank of spectators, the audience, or at the +utmost the chorus, of the drama; though this was scarcely +the case with Miss Dora, who kept her own room, where +she lay on the sofa, and received visits, and told the story +of her extraordinary adventure, the only adventure of her +life. The interest of the household centred chiefly, however, +in the dining-room, which, as being the least +habitable apartment in the house, was considered to be +most adapted for anything in the shape of business. On the +way from the church to Miss Wentworth's house the +Curate had given his father a brief account of all the +events which had led to his present position; but though +much eased in his mind, and partly satisfied, the Squire +was not yet clear how it all came about. His countenance +was far from having regained that composure, which +indeed the recent course of events in the family had pretty +nearly driven out of his life. His fresh light-coloured +morning dress, with all its little niceties, and the fresh +colour which even anxiety could not drive away from his +cheeks, were somehow contradicted in their sentiment of +cheerfulness by the puckers in his forehead and the +harassed look of his face. He sat down in the big leathern +chair by the fireplace, and looked round him with a sigh, +and the air of a man who wonders what will be the next +vexation. "I'd like to hear it over again, Frank," said the +Squire. "My mind is not what it used to be; I don't say I +ever was clever, like you young fellows, but I used to +understand what was said to me. Now I seem to require to +hear everything twice over; perhaps it is because I have +had myself to say the same things over again a great many +times lately," he added, with a sigh of weariness. Most +likely his eye fell on Gerald as he said so; at all events, the +Rector of Wentworth moved sadly from where he was +standing and went to the window, where he was out of his +father's range of vision. Gerald's looks, his movements, +every action of his, seemed somehow to bear a symbolic +meaning at this crisis in his life. He was no longer in any +doubt; he had made up his mind. He looked like a martyr +walking to his execution, as he crossed the room; and the +Squire looked after him, and once more breathed out of +his impatient breast a heavy short sigh. Louisa, who had +placed herself in the other great chair at the other side of +the forlorn fireplace, from which, this summer afternoon, +there came no cheerful light, put up her handkerchief to +her eyes and began to cry with half-audible sobs—which +circumstances surrounding him were far from being +encouraging to Frank as he entered anew into his own +story—a story which he told with many interruptions. The +Squire, who had once "sworn by Frank," had now a +terrible shadow of distrust in his mind. Jack was here on +the spot, of whom the unfortunate father knew more harm +than he had ever told, and the secret dread that he had +somehow corrupted his younger brother came like a cold +shadow over Mr Wentworth's mind. He could not slur +over any part of the narrative, but cross-examined his son +to the extent of his ability, with an anxious inquisition into +all the particulars. He was too deeply concerned to take +anything for granted. He sat up in his chair with those +puckers in his forehead, with that harassed look in his +eyes, making an anxious, vigilant, suspicious investigation, +which was pathetic to behold. If the defendant, who was +thus being examined on his honour, had been guilty, the +heart of the judge would have broken; but that was all the +more reason for searching into it with jealous particularity, +and with a suspicion which kept always gleaming out of his +troubled eyes in sudden anxious glances, saying, "You are +guilty? Are you guilty?" with mingled accusations and +appeals. The accused, being innocent, felt this suspicion +more hard to bear than if he had been a hundred times +guilty.</p> + +<p>"I understand a little about this fellow Wodehouse," +said the Squire; "but what I want to know is, why you took +him in? What did you take him in for, sir, at first? Perhaps +I could understand the rest if you would satisfy me of +that."</p> + +<p>"I took him in," said the Curate, rather slowly, +"because his sister asked me. She threw him upon my +charity—she told me the danger he was in—"</p> + +<p>"What danger was he in?" asked the Squire.</p> + +<p>The Curate made a pause, and as he paused Mr +Wentworth leaned forward in his chair, with another +pucker in his forehead and a still sharper gleam of suspicion +in his eyes. "His father had been offended time +after time in the most serious way. This time he had +threatened to give him up to justice. I can't tell you what +he had done, because it would be breaking my trust—but +he had made himself obnoxious to the law," said Frank +Wentworth. "To save him from the chance of being +arrested, his sister brought him to me."</p> + +<p>The Squire's hand shook a good deal as he took out his +handkerchief and wiped his forehead. "Perhaps it would +be the best way if one had not too much regard for the +honour of the family," he said, tremulously, like a man +under a sudden temptation; "but the sister, sir, why did +she bring him to you?" he added, immediately after, with +renewed energy. Mr Wentworth was not aware that, while +he was speaking, his eldest son had come into the room. +He had his back to the door, and he did not see Jack, who +stood rather doubtfully on the threshold, with a certain +shade of embarrassment upon his ordinary composure. "It +is not everybody that a woman would confide her brother's +life to," said the Squire. "Who is the sister? Is she—is +there any—any entanglement that I don't know of? It will +be better for all of us if you tell me plainly," said the old +man, with a querulous sound in his voice. He forgot the +relationship of his own girls to Jack, and groaned within +himself at what appeared almost certain evidence that the +sister of a criminal like Wodehouse had got possession of +Frank.</p> + +<p>"Miss Wodehouse is about the same age as my aunt +Dora," said the Curate. It was an exaggeration which +would have gone to the poor lady's heart, but Frank +Wentworth, in the unconscious insolence of his youth, was +quite unaware and careless of the difference. Then he +paused for a moment with an involuntary smile. "But I am +a clergyman, sir," he continued, seriously. "If a man in +my position is good for anything, it is his business to help +the helpless. I could do no good in any other way—I took +him into my house."</p> + +<p>"Frank," said the Squire, "I beg your pardon. I believe +in my heart you're true and honest. If I were not driven +out of my senses by one thing and another," said Mr +Wentworth, with bitterness. "They make me unjust to +you, sir—unjust to you! But never mind; go on. Why +didn't you tell these fellows what you've told me? That +would have settled the business at once, without any more +ado."</p> + +<p>"Mr Morgan is a great deal too much prejudiced against +me to believe anything I said. I thought it better to let him +prove to himself his own injustice; and another still more +powerful reason—" said the Curate.</p> + +<p>"Stop, sir, stop; I can't follow you to more than one +thing at a time. Why is Mr Morgan prejudiced against +you?" said the Squire, once more sitting upright and +recommencing his examination.</p> + +<p>Frank Wentworth laughed in spite of himself, though he +was far from being amused. "I know no reason, except +that I have worked in his parish without his permission," +he answered, briefly enough, "for which he threatened to +have me up before somebody or other—Dr Lushington, I +suppose, who is the new Council of Trent, and settles all +our matters for us nowadays," said the Curate, not without a +little natural scorn, at which, however, his father groaned.</p> + +<p>"There is nothing to laugh at in Dr Lushington," said +the Squire. "He gives you justice, at all events, which you +parsons never give each other, you know. You ought not +to have worked in the Rector's parish, sir, without his +permission. It's like shooting in another man's grounds. +However, that's not my business;—and the other reason, +sir?" said Mr Wentworth, with his anxious look.</p> + +<p>"My dear father," said the Curate, touched by the +anxiety in the Squire's face, and sitting down by him with +a sudden impulse, "I have done nothing which either you +or I need be ashamed of. I am grieved that you should +think it necessary to examine me so closely. Wodehouse is +a rascal, but I had taken charge of him; and as long as it +was possible to shield him, I felt bound to do so. I made an +appeal to his honour, if he had any, and to his fears, which +are more to be depended on, and gave him until noon to-day +to consider it. Here is his note, which was given me in +the vestry; and now you know the whole business, and +how it is that I postponed the conclusion till to-night."</p> + +<p>The Squire put on his spectacles with a tremulous hand +to read the note which his son gave him. The room was +very still while he read it, no sound interrupting him +except an occasional sniff from Louisa, who was in a +permanent state of whimpering, and, besides, had ceased +to be interested in Frank's affairs. Jack Wentworth, +standing in the background behind the Squire's chair, had +the whole party before him, and studied them keenly with +thoughts which nobody guessed at. Gerald was still +standing by the window, leaning on it with his face only +half turned to the others. Was he thinking of the others? +was he still one of them? or was he saying his office from +some invisible breviary abstracted into another life? That +supposition looked the most like truth. Near him was his +wife, who had thrown herself, a heap of bright fluttering +muslin, into the great chair, and kept her handkerchief to +her red eyes. She had enough troubles of her own to +occupy her, poor soul! Just at that moment it occurred to +her to think of the laburnum berries in the shrubbery at +the Rectory, which, it was suddenly borne in upon her, +would prove fatal to one or other of the children in her +absence;—the dear Rectory which she had to leave so +soon! "And Frank will have it, of course," Louisa said to +herself, "and marry somebody;" and then she thought of +the laburnum berries in connection with his problematical +children, not without a movement of satisfaction. Opposite +to her was the Squire, holding Wodehouse's epistle in a +hand which shook a little, and reading aloud slowly as he +could make it out. The note was short and insolent +enough. While it was being read, Jack Wentworth, who +was not easily discomposed, grew red and restless. He had +not dictated it certainly, nor even suggested the wording +of the epistle; but it was he who, half in scorn and half in +pity of the vagabond's terrors, had reassured Wodehouse, +and convinced him that it was only the punishments of +public opinion which the Curate could bring upon him. +Hardened as Jack was, he could not but be conscious that +thus to stand in his brother's way was a shabby business +enough, and to feel that he himself and his protégé cut a +very poor figure in presence of the manful old Squire with +all his burdens, and of Frank, who had, after all, nothing +to explain which was not to his honour. Notwithstanding +that he was at the present moment his brother's adversary, +actually working against him and prolonging his difficulties, +an odd kind of contempt and indignation against the fools +who could doubt Frank's honour possessed the prodigal at +the moment. "A parcel of asses," he said to himself; and so +stood and listened to Wodehouse's little note of defiance, +which, but for his prompting, the sullen vagabond would +never have dared to send to his former protector. The +letter itself was as follows:—</p> + +<p>"I have consulted my friends about what you said to-day, +and they tell me it is d——d nonsense. You can't do me +any harm; and I don't mean to get myself into any scrape +for you. You can do what you like—I shan't take any +notice. Your love affairs are no business of mine.—Yours +truly,</p> + +<p class="right"> +"<span class="smallcaps">T. Wodehouse.</span>"</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth threw the miserable scrawl on the table. +"The fellow is a scoundrel," said the Squire; "he does not +seem to have a spark of gratitude. You've done a deal too +much for him already; and if the sister is as old as Dora—" +he continued, after a long pause, with a half-humorous +relaxation of his features. He was too much worn out to +smile.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the Curate. The young man was sensible of +a sudden flush and heat, but did not feel any inclination to +smile. Matters were very serious just then with Frank +Wentworth. He was about to shake himself free of one +vexation, no doubt; but at this moment, when Lucy +Wodehouse was homeless and helpless, he had nothing to +offer her, nor any prospects even which he dared ask her +to share with him. This was no time to speak of the other +sister, who was not as old as Miss Dora. He was more than +ever the Perpetual Curate now. Perhaps, being a clergyman, +he ought not to have been swayed by such merely +human emotions; but honour and pride alike demanded +that he should remain in Carlingford, and he had no +shelter to offer Lucy in the time of her need.</p> + +<p>After this there followed a pause, which was far from +being cheerful. Frank could not but be disconsolate enough +over his prospects when the excitement died away; and +there was another big, terrible event looming darkly in the +midst of the family, which they had not courage to name +to each other. The long, uneasy pause was at length +broken by Louisa, whose voice sounded in the unnatural +silence like the burst of impatient rain which precedes a +thunderstorm.</p> + +<p>"Now that you have done with Frank's affairs, if you +have done with them," said Louisa, "perhaps somebody +will speak to Gerald. I don't mean in the way of arguing. +If some one would only speak <i>sense</i> to him. You all know +as well as I do how many children we've got, and—and—an—other +coming," sobbed the poor lady, "if something +doesn't happen to me, which I am sure is more than likely, +and might be expected. I don't blame dear grandpapa, for +he has said everything, and so have I; but I do think his +brothers ought to take a little more interest. Oh, Frank, +you know it doesn't matter for you. You are a young man, +you can go anywhere; but when there are five children +and—and—an—other— And how are we to live? You +know what a little bit of money I had when Gerald +married me. Everybody knows Gerald never cared for +money. If I had had a good fortune it would have been +quite different," cried poor Louisa, with a little flow of +tears and a querulous sob, as though that too was Gerald's +fault. "He has not sent off his letter yet, Frank," said the +injured wife; "if you would but speak to him. He does not +mind me or grandpapa, but he might mind you. Tell him +we shall have nothing to live on; tell him—"</p> + +<p>"Hush," said Gerald. He came forward to the table, +very pale and patient, as became a man at the point of +legal death. "I <i>have</i> sent away my letter. By this time I +am no longer Rector of Wentworth. Do not break my +heart. Do you think there is any particular in the whole +matter which I have not considered—the children, +yourself, everything? Hush; there is nothing now to be +said."</p> + +<p>The Squire rose, almost as pale as his son, from his +chair. "I think I'll go out into the air a little," said Mr +Wentworth. "There's always something new happening. +Here is a son of my own," said the old man, rising into a +flush of energy, "who has not only deserted his post, but +deserted it secretly, Frank. God bless my soul! don't +speak to me, sir; I tell you he's gone over to the enemy as +much as Charley would have done if he had deserted at +the Alma—and done it when nobody knew or was thinking. +I used to be thought a man of honour in my day," said Mr +Wentworth, bitterly; "and it's a mean thing to say it came +by their mother's side. There's Jack—"</p> + +<p>The eldest son roused himself up at the mention of his +own name. Notwithstanding all his faults, he was not +a man to stand behind backs and listen to what was said of +him. He came forward with his usual ease, though a +close observer might have detected a flush on his face. "I +am here, sir," said the heir. "I cannot flatter myself you +will have much pleasure in seeing me; but I suppose I +have still a right to be considered one of the family." The +Squire, who had risen to his feet, and was standing leaning +against the table when Jack advanced, returned to his +chair and sat down as his eldest son confronted him. They +had not met for years, and the shock was great. Mr +Wentworth put his hand to his cravat and pulled at it with +an instinctive movement. The old man was still feeble +from his late illness, and apprehensive of a return of the +disease of the Wentworths. He restrained himself, however, +with force so passionate that Jack did not guess at +the meaning of the gasp which, before the Squire was able +to speak to him, convulsed his throat, and made Frank +start forward to offer assistance which his father +impatiently rejected. The Squire made, indeed, a great +effort to speak with dignity. He looked from one to another +of his tall sons as he propped himself up by the arms of his +chair.</p> + +<p>"You are the most important member of the family," +said Mr Wentworth; "it is long since you have been among +us, but that is not our fault. If things had been different, I +should have been glad of your advice as a man of the +world. Anyhow, I can't wish you to be estranged from +your brothers," said the Squire. It was all any one could +say. The heir of Wentworth was not to be denounced or +insulted among his kindred, but he could not be taken to +their bosom. Perhaps the reception thus given him was +more galling than any other could have been to Jack +Wentworth's pride. He stood at the table by himself +before his father, feeling that there existed no living +relations between himself and any one present. He had +keen intellectual perceptions, and could recognise the +beauty of honour and worth as well as most people; and +the contrast between himself and the others who surrounded +him presented itself in a very forcible light to +Jack. Instead of Gerald and Frank, Wodehouse was <i>his</i> +allotted companion. For that once he was bitter, notwithstanding +his habitual good-humour.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said; "it would be a pity to estrange me from +my brothers. We are, on the whole, a lucky trio. I, whom +my relations are civil to; and Frank, who is not acquitted +yet, though he seems so confident; and Gerald, who has +made the greatest mistake of all—"</p> + +<p>"Jack," said the Curate, "nobody wants to quarrel with +you. You've dealt shabbily by me, but I do not mind. +Only talk of things you understand—don't talk of Gerald."</p> + +<p>For a moment Jack Wentworth was roused almost to +passion. "What is Gerald that I should not understand +him?" said Jack; "he and I are the original brood. You are +all a set of interlopers, the rest of you. What is Gerald that +I should not talk of him? In the world, my dear Frank," +continued the heir, superciliously, "as the Squire himself +will testify, a man is not generally exempted from criticism +because he is a parson. Gerald is—"</p> + +<p>"I am a simple Catholic layman, nothing more," said +Gerald; "not worth criticism, having done nothing. I am +aware I am as good as dead. There is no reason why Jack +should not talk if it pleases him. It will make no difference +to me."</p> + +<p>"And yet," said Frank, "it is only the other day that you +told us you were nothing if not a priest."</p> + +<p>Gerald turned upon him with a look of melancholy +reproach that went to the Curate's heart. "It is true I said +so," he replied, and then he made a pause, and the light +died out of his pale face. "Don't bring up the ghosts of my +dead battles, Frank. I said so only the other day. But it is +the glory of the true Church," said the convert, with a +sudden glow which restored colour for a moment to his +face, "to restrain and subdue the last enemy, the will of +man. I am content to be nothing, as the saints were. The +fight has been hard enough, but I am not ashamed of the +victory. When the law of the Church and the obedience of +the saints ordain me to be nothing, I consent to it. There is +nothing more to say."</p> + +<p>"And this is how it is to be!" cried Louisa. "He knows +what is coming, and he does not care—and none of you +will interfere or speak to him! It is not as if he did not +know what would happen. He tells you himself that he will +be nothing; and even if <i>he</i> can put up with it after being a +man of such consideration in the county, how am <i>I</i> to put +up with it? We have always been used to the very best +society," said poor Louisa, with tears. "The Duke himself +was not more thought of; and now he tells you he is to be +nothing!" Mrs Wentworth stopped to dry her eyes with +tremulous haste. "<i>He</i> may not mind," said Louisa, "for at +least he is having his own way. It is all very well for a +man, who can do as he pleases; but it is his poor wife who +will have to suffer. I don't know who will visit me after it's +all over, and people will give over asking us if we don't ask +them again; and how can we ever have anybody, with five +children—or more—and only a few hundreds a-year? Oh, +Frank, it kills me to think of it. Don't you think you might +speak to him again?" she whispered, stretching up to his +ear, when Gerald, with a sigh, had gone back to his +window. The Squire, too, cast an appealing glance at his +younger son.</p> + +<p>"It is all true enough that she says," said Mr Wentworth. +"She mayn't understand <i>him</i>, Frank, but she's right +enough in what she's saying. If things were different +between your brother and me, I'd ask his advice," said +the Squire, with a sigh. He gave a longing look at his +eldest son, who stood with his usual ease before the +fireplace. Matters had gone a great deal too far between +the father and son to admit of the usual displeasure of an +aggrieved parent—all that was over long ago; and Mr +Wentworth could not restrain a certain melting of the +heart towards his first-born. "He's not what I could wish, +but he's a man of the world, and might give us some +practical advice," said the Squire, with his anxious looks. +Of what possible advantage advice, practical or otherwise, +could have been in the circumstances, it was difficult to +see; but the Squire was a man of simple mind, and still +believed in the suggestions of wisdom. He still sat in the +easy-chair, looking wistfully at Jack, and with a certain +faith that matters might even yet be mended, if the +counsel of his eldest son, as a man of the world, could be +had and could be trusted; when Frank, who had an +afternoon service at Wharfside, had to leave the family +committee. Gerald, who roused up when his younger +brother mentioned the business he was going upon, looked +at Frank almost as wistfully as his father looked at Jack. +"It may be the last time," he said to himself; "if you'll let +me, I'll go with you, Frank;" and so the little conclave +was broken up. The people in Prickett's Lane were greatly +impressed by the aspect of Gerald Wentworth, as he +went, silent and pale, by his brother's side, down the +crowded pavement. They thought it must be a bishop at +least who accompanied the Curate of St Roque's; and the +women gathered at a little distance and made their +comments, as he stood waiting for his brother after the +service. "He don't look weakly nor sickly no more nor the +clergyman," said one; "but he smiles at the little uns for all +the world like my man smiled the night he was took +away." "Smilin' or not smilin'," said another, "I don't see +as it makes no matter; but I'd give a deal to know what +Elsworthy and them as stands by Elsworthy can say after +that." "Maybe, then, he'd give the poor fatherless children a +blessing afore he'd go," suggested a poor Irish widow, +who, having been much under Mr Wentworth's hands "in +her trouble," was not quite sure now what faith she +professed, or at least which Church she belonged to. Such +was the universal sentiment of Prickett's Lane. Meanwhile +Gerald stood silent, and looked with pathetic, +speechless eyes at the little crowd. He was no priest now—he +was shorn of the profession which had been his life. His +hope of being able to resign all things for Christ's sake had +failed him. Too wary and politic to maintain in a critical +age and country the old licence of the ages of Faith, even +his wife's consent, could he have obtained it, would not +have opened to the convert the way into the priesthood. A +greater trial had been required of him; he was nothing, a +man whose career was over. He stood idly, in a kind of +languor, looking on while the Curate performed the duties +of his office—feeling like a man whom sickness had +reduced to the last stage of life, and for whom no earthly +business remained; while, at the same time, his aspect +struck awe, as that of a bishop at the least, to the +imagination of Prickett's Lane.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXXIX"></a>CHAPTER XXXIX.</h3> +<p> </p> + + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Mr Morgan</span> did not go home direct from the investigation +of the morning; on the contrary, he paid various visits, and +got through a considerable amount of parish business, +before he turned his face towards the Rectory. On the +whole, his feelings were far from being comfortable. He +did not know, certainly, who Mr Wentworth's witness +was, but he had an unpleasant conviction that it was +somebody who would clear the Curate. "Of course I shall +be very glad," the Rector said to himself; but it is a fact, +that in reality he was far from being glad, and that a secret +conviction of this sentiment, stealing into his mind, made +matters still more uncomfortable. This private sense of +wishing evil to another man, of being unwilling and vexed +to think well of his neighbour, was in itself enough to +disturb the Rector's tranquillity; and when to this was +added the aggravation that his wife had always been on +the other side, and had warned him against proceeding, +and might, if she pleased, say, "I told you so," it will be +apparent that Mr Morgan's uneasiness was not without +foundation. Instead of going home direct to acquaint his +wife with the circumstances, about which he knew she +must be curious, it was late in the afternoon before the +Rector opened his own gate. Even then he went through +the garden with a reluctant step, feeling it still more +difficult to meet her now than it would have been at first, +although his delay had arisen from the thought that it +would be easier to encounter her keen looks after an +interval. There was, however, no keen look to be dreaded +at this moment. Mrs Morgan was busy with her ferns, and +she did not look up as her husband approached. She went +on with her occupation, examining carefully what withered +fronds there might be about her favourite maidenhair, +even when he stopped by her side. Though her husband's +shadow fell across the plants she was tending, Mrs +Morgan, for the first time in her married life, did not look +up to welcome the Rector. She made no demonstration, +said no word of displeasure, but only showed herself +utterly absorbed in, and devoted to, her ferns. There was, +to be sure, no such lover of ferns in the neighbourhood of +Carlingford as the Rector's wife.</p> + +<p>As for Mr Morgan, he stood by her side in a state of +great discomfort and discomfiture. The good man's perceptions +were not very clear, but he saw that she had heard +from some one the issue of the morning's inquiry, and that +she was deeply offended by his delay, and that, in short, +they had arrived at a serious difference, the first quarrel +since their marriage. Feeling himself in the wrong, Mr +Morgan naturally grew angry too.</p> + +<p>"I should like to have dinner earlier to-day," he said, +with the usual indiscretion of an aggrieved husband. +"Perhaps you will tell the cook, my dear. I think I should +like to have it at five, if possible. It can't make much +difference for one day."</p> + +<p>Mrs Morgan raised herself up from her ferns, and no +doubt it was a relief to her to find herself provided with so +just a cause of displeasure. "Much difference!" cried the +Rector's wife; "it is half-past four now. I wonder how you +could think of such a thing, William. There is some lamb, +which of course is not put down to roast yet, and the +ducks. If you wish the cook to give warning immediately, +you may send such a message. It is just like a man to think +it would make no difference! But I must say, to do them +justice," said the Rector's wife, "it is not like a man of +your college!" When she had fired this double arrow, she +took off her gardening gloves and lifted her basket. "I +suppose you told Mr Proctor that you wished to dine +early?" said Mrs Morgan, with severity, pausing on the +threshold. "Of course it is quite impossible to have dinner +at five unless he knows."</p> + +<p>"Indeed I—I forgot all about Proctor," said the Rector, +who now saw the inexpediency of his proposal. "On second +thoughts, I see it does not matter much. But after dinner I +expect some people about Mr Wentworth's business. It +was not settled this morning, as I expected."</p> + +<p>"So I heard," said Mrs Morgan. "I will tell Thomas to +show them into the library," and she went indoors, carrying +her basket. As for the Rector, he stood silent, looking after +her, and feeling wonderfully discomfited. Had she found +fault with him for his delay—had she even said "I told you +so!" it would have been less overwhelming than this +indifference. They had never had a quarrel before, and +the effect was proportionately increased. After standing +bewildered at the door for a few minutes, he retired into +his study, where the change in his wife's demeanour +haunted him, and obscured Mr Wentworth. Mrs Morgan +sat at the head of the table at dinner with an equal want of +curiosity. Even when the subject was discussed between +the Rector and Mr Proctor, she asked no questions—a +course of procedure very puzzling and trying to Mr +Morgan, who could not make it out.</p> + +<p>It was after eight o'clock before the tribunal of the +morning was reconstituted at the Rectory. Most of the +gentlemen came late, and the little assembly brought with +it a flavour of port, which modified the serious atmosphere. +When the bed of justice was again formed, Mr Wentworth +entered with the bodyguard of Wentworths, which +numbered half as many as his judges. Half from curiosity, +half from a reluctant inclination to please his father, Jack +had joined the others, and they came in together, all of +them noticeable men, profoundly different, yet identified +as belonging to each other by the touching bond of family +resemblance. After the four gentlemen had taken possession +of their corner, Mr Waters made a somewhat hurried +entry, bringing after him the sullen reluctant figure of +Wodehouse, who made an awkward bow to the assembled +potentates, and looked ashamed and vigilant, and very ill +at ease. Mr Waters made a hasty explanation to the +Rector before he sat down by the side of his unlucky +client. "I thought it possible there might be some attempt +made to shift the blame upon him, therefore I thought it +best to bring him," said the lawyer. Mr Morgan gave him +a dry little nod without answering. To tell the truth, the +Rector felt anything but comfortable; when he glanced up +at the stranger, who was looking askance at the people in +the room as if they had been so many policemen in +disguise, a disagreeable sudden conviction that this sullen +rascal looked a great deal more like the guilty man than +Mr Wentworth did, came into Mr Morgan's mind, and +made him sick with annoyance and embarrassment. If it +should turn out so! if it should become apparent that he, +for private prejudices of his own, had been persecuting his +brother! This thought produced an actual physical effect +for the moment upon the Rector, but its immediate visible +consequence was simply to make him look more severe, +almost spiteful, in a kind of unconscious self-vindication. +Last of all, Elsworthy, who began to be frightened too, but +whose fears were mingled with no compunction nor blame +of himself, stole in and found an uncomfortable seat on a +stool near the door, where scarcely any one saw him, by +favour of Thomas, and screened by the high back of the +Rector's easy-chair. When all were assembled Mr Morgan +spoke.</p> + +<p>"We are met this evening, gentlemen, to complete, +if there is sufficient time, the investigation we began +this morning," said the Rector. "I have no doubt I express +the sentiments of every one present when I say I shall be +glad—<i>unfeignedly</i> glad," said Mr Morgan, with a defiant +emphasis, which was meant to convince himself, "to find +that Mr Wentworth's witness is of sufficient importance to +justify the delay. As we were interrupted this morning +solely on his account, I presume it will be most satisfactory +that this witness should be called at once."</p> + +<p>"I should like to say something in the first place," said +the Curate. Mr Morgan made an abrupt nod indicative of +his consent, and, instead of looking at the defendant, +shaded his eyes with his hand, and made figures with his +pen upon the blotting-paper. A conviction, against which +it was impossible to strive, had taken possession of the +Rector's soul. He listened to Frank Wentworth's address +with a kind of impatient annoyance and resistance. "What +is the good of saying any more about it?" Mr Morgan was +saying in his soul. "For heaven's sake let us bury it and be +done with it, and forget that we ever made such asses of +ourselves." But at the same time the Rector knew this was +quite impossible; and as he sat leaning over his blotting-book, +writing down millions after millions with his unconscious +pen, he looked a very model of an unwilling +listener—a prejudiced judge—a man whom no arguments +could convince; which was the aspect under which he +appeared to the Curate of St Roque's.</p> + +<p>"I should like to say something first," said the Perpetual +Curate. "I could not believe it possible that I, being +tolerably well known in Carlingford as I have always +supposed, could be suspected by any rational being of +such an insane piece of wickedness as has been laid to my +charge; and consequently it did not occur to me to vindicate +myself, as I perhaps ought to have done, at the beginning. +I have been careless all along of vindicating myself. I had +an idea," said the young man, with involuntary disdain, +"that I might trust, if not to the regard, at least to the +common-sense of my friends—"</p> + +<p>Here John Brown, who was near his unwary client, +plucked at the Curate's coat, and brought him to a +momentary half-angry pause. "Softly, softly," said Dr +Marjoribanks; "common-sense has nothing to do with +facts; we're inquiring into facts at this moment; and, +besides, it's a very foolish and unjustifiable confidence to +trust to any man's common-sense," said the old Doctor, +with a humorous glance from under his shaggy eyebrows +at his fellow-judges; upon which there ensued a laugh, not +very agreeable in its tone, which brought the Rector to a +white heat of impatience and secret rage.</p> + +<p>"It appears to me that the witness ought to be called at +once," said Mr Morgan, "if this is not a mere expedient +to gain time, and if it is intended to make any progress to-night."</p> + +<p>"My explanations shall be very brief," said Frank +Wentworth, facing instantly to his natural enemy. "I have +suspected from the beginning of this business who was the +culprit, and have made every possible attempt to induce +him to confess, and, so far as he could, amend the wrong +that he had done. I have failed; and now the confession, +the <i>amende</i>, must be made in public. I will now call my +witness," said the Curate. But this time a commotion rose +in another part of the room. It was Wodehouse, who +struggled to rise, and to get free from the detaining grasp +of his companion.</p> + +<p>"By Jove! I aint going to sit here and listen to a parcel of +lies!" cried the vagabond. "If I am to be tried, at least I'll +have the real thing, by Jove!" He had risen up, and was +endeavouring to pass Mr Waters and get out, casting a +suspicious defiant look round the room. The noise he +made turned all eyes upon him, and the scrutiny he had +brought upon himself redoubled his anxiety to get away. +"I'll not stand it, by Jove! Waters, let me go," said the +craven, whose confused imagination had mixed up all his +evil doings together, and who already felt himself being +carried off to prison. It was at this moment that Jack +Wentworth rose from his place in his easy careless way, +and went forward to the table to adjust the lamp, which +was flaring a little. Wodehouse dropped back into a chair +as soon as he caught the eye of this master of his fate. His +big beard moved with a subterranean gasp like the +panting of a hunted creature, and all the colour that had +remained died away out of his haggard, frightened face. +As for Jack Wentworth, he took no apparent notice of the +shabby rascal whom he held in awe. "Rather warm this +room for a court of justice. I hope Frank's witness is not +fat," said Jack, putting himself up against the wall, and +lifting languidly his glass to his eye—which byplay was +somewhat startling, but totally incomprehensible, to the +amateur judges, who looked upon him with angry eyes.</p> + +<p>"I must request that the proceedings may not be +interrupted," said Mr Morgan; and then everybody looked +towards the open door: the sight they saw there was +enough to startle the calmest spectator. Elsworthy, who +was seated close by, sprang from his stool with a low +resounding howl of amazement, upsetting his lowly seat, +and staggering back against the wall, in the excess of his +wonder and consternation. The judges themselves forgot +their decorum, and crowded round upon each other to +stare—old Mr Western putting his arm round the Rector's +neck in his curiosity, as if they had been two boys at a +peep-show. It was Miss Leonora Wentworth's erect iron-grey +figure that appeared in the doorway, half leading in, +half pushing before her, the unfortunate cause of all the +commotion—Rosa Elsworthy herself. A change had passed +upon the little girl's rosy, dewy, April beauty. Her pretty +dark eyes were enlarged and anxious, and full of tears; her +cheeks had paled out of their sweet colour, her red lips +were pressed tightly together. Passion and shame had set +their marks upon the child's forehead—lightly, it is true, +but still the traces were there; but beyond all other sentiments, +anxiety, restless, breathless, palpitating, had +possession of Mr Wentworth's all-important witness. It +was very clear that, whatever might be the opinion of her +judges, Rosa's case was anything but hopeless in her own +eyes. She came in drooping, shrinking, and abashed, as +was natural; but her shame was secondary in Rosa's mind, +even in the moment of her humiliation. She came to a +dead stop when she had made a few steps into the room, +and cast furtive glances at the dread tribunal, and began +to cry. She was trembling with nervous eagerness, with +petulance and impatience. Almost all her judges, except +the Rector and Mr Proctor, had been known to Rosa from +her earliest years. She was not afraid of them, nor cast +down by any sense of overwhelming transgression—on the +contrary, she cast an appealing look round her, which +implied that they could still set everything right if they +would exert themselves; and then she began to cry.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen, before you ask any questions," said Miss +Leonora Wentworth, "I should like to explain why I am +here. I came not because I approve of <i>her</i>, but because it +is right that my nephew should have a respectable woman +to take charge of the witness. She was brought to my +house last night, and has been in my charge ever since;—and +I come with her now, not because I approve of her, +but because she ought to be in charge of some woman," +said Miss Leonora, sitting down abruptly in the chair some +one had placed for her. The chair was placed close by the +spot where Rosa stood crying. Poor, pretty, forsaken +child! Perhaps Miss Leonora, who sat beside her, and +occupied the position of her protector, was of all the +people present the only one who had not already forgiven +Rosa, the only one who would have still been disposed to +punish her, and did not pardon the weeping creature in +her heart.</p> + +<p>"Now that you're here, Rosa," said Dr Marjoribanks, +"the only sensible thing you can do is to dry your eyes and +answer the questions that have to be put to you. Nobody +will harm you if you speak the truth. Don't be frightened, +but dry your eyes, and let us hear what you have to say."</p> + +<p>"Poor little thing," said old Mr Western; "of course she +has done very wrong. I don't mean to defend her—but, +after all, she is but a child. Poor little thing! Her mother +died, you know, when she was a baby. She had nobody to +tell her how to behave.—I don't mean to defend her, for +she has done very wrong, poor little—"</p> + +<p>"We are falling into mere conversation," said the +Rector, severely. "Rosa Elsworthy, come to the table. +The only thing you can do to make up for all the misery +you have caused to your friends, is to tell the truth about +everything. You are aged—how much? eighteen years?"</p> + +<p>"Please, sir, only seventeen," said Rosa; "and oh, +please, sir, I didn't mean no harm. I wouldn't never have +gone, no, not a step, if he hadn't a-promised that we was +to be married. Oh, please, sir—"</p> + +<p>"Softly a little," said John Brown, interfering. "It is not +you who are on your trial, Rosa. We are not going to +question you about your foolishness; all that the Rector +wants you to tell him is the name of the man who persuaded +you to go away."</p> + +<p>At which question Rosa cried more and more. "I don't +think he meant no harm either," cried the poor little girl. +"Oh, if somebody would please speak to him! We couldn't +be married then, but now if anybody would take a little +trouble! I told him Mr Wentworth would, if I was to ask +him; but then I thought perhaps as Mr Wentworth mightn't +like to be the one as married me," said Rosa, with a +momentary gleam of vanity through her tears. The little +simper with which the girl spoke, the coquettish looks +askance at the Perpetual Curate, who stood grave and +unmoved at a distance, the movement of unconscious self-deception +and girlish vanity which for a moment distracted +Rosa, had a great effect upon the spectators. The judges +looked at each other across the table, and Dr Marjoribanks +made a commentary of meditative nods upon that little +exhibition. "Just so," said the Doctor; "maybe Mr +Wentworth might have objected. If you tell me the man's +name, <i>I</i>'ll speak to him, Rosa," said the old Scotsman, +grimly. As for the Rector, he had put down his pen +altogether, and looked very much as if he were the culprit. +Certainly his shame and confusion and self-disgust were +greater than that of any one else in the room.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Doctor, please don't be angry. Oh, if somebody +would only speak to him!" cried poor Rosa. "Oh, please, it +wasn't my fault—I haven't got no—nobody to speak for +me!" At this moment she got a glimpse of her uncle's face, +dark and angry, looming behind the Rector's chair. Rosa +shrank back with a frightened movement, and caught fast +hold of Miss Leonora's dress. "Oh, please, don't let him +kill me!" cried the terrified girl. She sank down at Miss +Wentworth's feet, and held tightly by her unwilling +protectress. She was a frightened child, afraid of being +whipped and punished; she was not an outraged woman, +forsaken and miserable. Nobody knew what to do with her +as she crouched down, panting with fright and anxiety, by +Miss Leonora's side.</p> + +<p>"We must know who this man is," said John Brown. +"Look here, Rosa; if anybody is to do you good, it is +necessary to know the man. Rise up and look round, and +tell me if you can see him here."</p> + +<p>After a moment's interval Rosa obeyed. She stood up +trembling, resting her hand to support herself on Miss +Leonora's chair—almost, she trembled so, on Miss +Leonora's shoulder. Up to this moment the ignorant little +creature had scarcely felt the shame of her position; she +had felt only the necessity of appealing to the kindness of +people who knew her—people who were powerful enough +to do very nearly what they pleased in Carlingford; for it +was in this light that Rosa, who knew no better, regarded +the Doctor and her other judges. This time her eye passed +quickly over those protectors. The tears were still hanging +on her eyelashes; her childish bosom was still palpitating +with sobs. Beyond the little circle of light round the table, +the room was comparatively in shadow. She stood by +herself, her pretty face and anxious eyes appearing over +Miss Wentworth's head, her fright and her anxiety both +forgotten for the moment in the sudden hope of seeing her +betrayer. There was not a sound in the room to disturb the +impartiality of her search. Every man kept still, as if +by chance he might be the offender. Rosa's eyes, bright +with anxiety, with eagerness, with a feverish hope, went +searching into the shadow, gleaming harmless over the +Wentworth brothers, who were opposite. Then there was +a start and a loud cry. She was not ashamed to be led +before the old men, who were sorry for her, and who could +protect her; but now at last the instinct of her womanhood +seized upon the unfortunate creature. She had made an +involuntary rush towards him when she saw him first. +Then she stopped short, and looked all round her with a +bewildered sudden consciousness. The blood rushed to +her face, scorching and burning; she uttered a sudden cry +of anguish and shame. "Oh, don't forsake me!—don't +forsake me!—listen to the gentlemen!" cried poor Rosa, +and fell down in a sudden agony of self-comprehension at +Wodehouse's feet.</p> + +<p>For a few minutes after there was nothing but confusion +in the room. Elsworthy had been standing behind backs, +with a half-fiendish look of rage and disappointment on his +commonplace features. "Let them help her as likes; I +washes my hands of her," he cried bitterly, when he saw +her fall; and then rushed into the midst of the room, +thrusting the others out of his way. The man was beside +himself with mortification, with disgust, and fury, and at +the same time with a savage natural affection for the +creature who had baffled and disgraced him, yet still was +his own. "Let alone—let alone, I tell you! There's nobody +as belongs to her but me!" cried Elsworthy, pushing up +against the Doctor, who had lifted her from the ground. As +for Wodehouse, he was standing scowling down upon the +pretty figure at his feet: not that the vagabond was utterly +heartless, or could look at his victim without emotion; on +the contrary, he was pale with terror, thinking he had +killed her, wondering in his miserable heart if they would +secure him at once, and furtively watching the door to see +if he had a chance of escape. When Mr Waters seized his +arm, Wodehouse gave a hoarse outcry of horror. "I'll +marry her—oh, Lord, I'll marry her! I never meant +anything else," the wretched man cried, as he sank back +again into his chair. He thought she was dead, as she lay +with her upturned face on the carpet, and in his terror and +remorse and cowardice his heart seemed to stop beating. +If he could have had a chance of escaping, he would not +have hesitated to dash the old Doctor out of his way, and +rush over the body of the unhappy girl whom he thought +he had murdered. But Waters held him fast; and he sank +back, panting and horrified, on his seat. "I never touched +her; nobody can say I touched her," muttered the poor +wretch to himself; and watched with fascinated eyes and +the distinct apprehension of terror every movement and +change of position, calculating how he might dart out +when the window was opened—having forgotten for the +moment that Jack Wentworth, as well as the companion +who kept immediate watch over him, was in the room.</p> + +<p>"She'll come to herself presently," said Dr Marjoribanks. +"We'll carry her up-stairs. Yes, I know you don't approve +of her, Miss Wentworth; nobody said you were to approve +of her. Not that I think she's a responsible moral agent +myself," said the Doctor, lifting her up in his vigorous +arms; "but in the mean time she has to be brought to life. +Keep out of my way, Elsworthy; you should have looked +better after the little fool. If she's not accountable for her +actions, <i>you</i> are," he went on with a growl, thrusting away +with his vigorous shoulder the badly-hung frame of Rosa's +uncle, who was no match for the Doctor. Thus the poor +little girl was carried away in a kind of procession, Miss +Leonora going first. "Not that I think her worth all this +fuss, the vain little fool," said Miss Leonora; "she'll come +to herself, no fear of her;" but, notwithstanding her +protest, the strong-minded woman led the way. When the +room was cleared, the gentlemen who remained took their +seats mechanically, and stared at each other. In the shame +and confusion of the moment nobody could find anything +to say, and the Curate was magnanimous, and did not take +advantage of his triumph. The silence was broken by the +Rector, who rose up solemnly from his chair to speak. +Probably no one in the room had suffered so acutely as Mr +Morgan; his face was crimson, his eyes suffused and +angry. Frank Wentworth rose involuntarily at the same +moment, expecting, he could not tell why, to be addressed, +but sat down again in a little confusion when he found that +the Rector had turned his eyes in a totally different +direction. Mr Morgan put the lamp out of the way, that he +might be able to transfix with the full glow of his angry +eyes the real offender, who sat only half conscious, +absorbed with his own terror, by the lawyer's side.</p> + +<p>"Sir!" said the Rector, in a tone which, severe as his +voice was by nature, nobody had ever heard from his lips +before, "you have put us all in a most ridiculous and +painful position to-night. I don't know whether you are +capable of feeling the vileness of your own misconduct as +regards the unhappy girl who has just been carried out of +the room, but you certainly shall not leave the house +without hearing—"</p> + +<p>Wodehouse gave such a start at these words that Mr +Morgan paused a moment. The Rector was quite unaware +of the relief, the sense of safety, which he had +inadvertently conveyed to the mind of the shabby rascal +whom he was addressing. He was then to be allowed to +leave the house? "I'll leave the d——d place to-night, by +Jove!" he muttered in his beard, and immediately sat up +upon his chair, and turned round with a kind of sullen +vivacity to listen to the remainder of Mr Morgan's speech.</p> + +<p>"You shall not leave this house," said the Rector, more +peremptorily still, "without hearing what must be the +opinion of every gentleman, of every honest man. You +have been the occasion of bringing an utterly unfounded +accusation against a—a young clergyman," said Mr +Morgan, with a succession of gasps, "of—of the very +highest character. You have, as I understand, sir, abused +his hospitality, and—and done your utmost to injure him +when you owed him gratitude. Not content with that, sir," +continued the Rector, "you have kept your—your very +existence concealed, until the moment when you could +injure your sisters. You may perhaps be able to make a +miserable amends for the wrong you have done to the +unfortunate girl up-stairs, but you can never make amends +to me, sir, for betraying me into a ridiculous position, and +leading me to do—an—an absurd and—and incredible +injustice—to a—to my—to Mr Frank Wentworth. Sir, you +are a scoundrel!" cried Mr Morgan, breaking down +abruptly in an access of sudden fury. When the Rector +had recovered himself, he turned with great severity to +the rest of the company: "Gentlemen, my wife will be glad +to see you up-stairs," said Mr Morgan. The sound of this +hospitable invitation was as if he had ordered the entire +assembly to the door; but nevertheless most of the company +followed him as he rose, and, without condescending to +look round again, marched out of the library. The Squire +rose with the rest, and took the hand of his son Frank and +grasped it closely. Somehow, though he believed Frank +before, Mr Wentworth was easier in his mind after the +Rector's speech.</p> + +<p>"I think I will go up-stairs and shake hands with him," +said the Squire, "and you had better come too, Frank. No +doubt he will expect it. He spoke up very well at the last, +and I entirely agree with the Rector," he said, looking +sternly, but with a little curiosity, at the vagabond, who +stood recovering himself, and ready to resume his hopeless +swagger. It was well for Mr Wentworth that he left the +room at once, and went cheerfully up-stairs to pay his +respects to Mrs Morgan. The Squire said, "Thank God!" +quietly to himself when he got out of the library. "Things +are mending, surely—even Jack—even Jack," Mr +Wentworth said, under his breath; and the simple gentleman +said over a part of the general thanksgiving, as he +went slowly, with an unusual gladness, up the stair. He +might not have entered Mrs Morgan's drawing-room with +such a relieved and brightened countenance had he stayed +ten minutes longer in the library, and listened to the +further conversation there.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XL" id="CHAPTER_XL"></a>CHAPTER XL.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">Now</span>, Mr Wodehouse," said Jack Wentworth, "it appears +that you and I have a word to say to each other." They +had all risen when the other gentlemen followed Mr +Morgan out of the room, and those who remained stood in +a group surrounding the unhappy culprit, and renewing +his impression of personal danger. When he heard himself +thus addressed, he backed against the wall, and instinctively +took one of the chairs and placed it before him. His +furtive eye sought the door and the window, investigating +the chances of escape. When he saw that there was none, +he withdrew still a step further back, and stood at bay.</p> + +<p>"By Jove! I aint going to stand all this," said +Wodehouse; "as if every fellow had a right to bully me—it's +more than flesh and blood can put up with. I don't care +for that old fogey that's gone up-stairs; but, by Jove! I +won't stand any more from men that eat my dinners, and +win my money, and—"</p> + +<p>Jack Wentworth made half a step forward with a superb +smile—"My good fellow, you should never reproach a +man with his good actions," he said; "but at the same time, +having eaten your dinners, as you describe, I have a +certain claim on your gratitude. We have had some—a—business +connection—for some years. I don't say you have +reason to be actually grateful for that; but, at least, it +brought you now and then into the society of gentlemen. A +man who robs a set of women, and leaves the poor +creature he has ruined destitute, is a sort of cur we have +nothing to say to," said the heir of the Wentworths, +contemptuously. "We do not pretend to be saints, but we +are not blackguards; that is to say," said Jack, with a +perfectly calm and harmonious smile, "not in theory, nor +in our own opinion. The fact accordingly is, my friend, +that you must choose between <i>us</i> and those respectable +meannesses of yours. By Jove! the fellow ought to have +been a shopkeeper, and as honest as—Diogenes," said +Jack. He stood looking at his wretched associate with the +overwhelming impertinence of a perfectly well-bred man, +no way concealing the contemptuous inspection with which +his cool eyes travelled over the disconcerted figure from +top to toe, seeing and exaggerating all its tremors and +clumsy guiltiness. The chances are, had Jack Wentworth +been in Wodehouse's place, he would have been master of +the position as much as now. He was not shocked nor +indignant like his brothers. He was simply contemptuous, +disdainful, not so much of the wickedness as of the clumsy +and shabby fashion in which it had been accomplished. As +for the offender, who had been defiant in his sulky fashion +up to this moment, his courage oozed out at his finger-ends +under Jack Wentworth's eye.</p> + +<p>"I am my own master," he stammered, "nowadays. I +aint to be dictated to—and I shan't be, by Jove! As for +Jack Wentworth, he's well known to be neither more nor +less—"</p> + +<p>"Than what, Mr Wodehouse?" said the serene and +splendid Jack. "Don't interest yourself on my account, +Frank. This is my business at present. If you have any +prayer-meetings in hand, we can spare you—and don't +forget our respectable friend in your supplications. Favour +us with your definition of Jack Wentworth, Mr Wodehouse. +He is neither more nor less—?"</p> + +<p>"By Jove! I aint going to stand it," cried Wodehouse; "if +a fellow's to be driven mad, and insulted, and have his +money won from him, and made game of—not to say +tossed about as I've been among 'em, and made a drudge +of, and set to do the dirty work," said the unfortunate +subordinate, with a touch of pathos in his hoarse voice;—"I +don't mean to say I've been what I ought; but, by Jove! +to be put upon as I've been, and knocked about; and at +the last they haven't the pluck to stand by a fellow, by +Jove!" muttered Mr Wodehouse's unlucky heir. What +further exasperation his smiling superior intended to heap +upon him nobody could tell; for just as Jack Wentworth +was about to speak, and just as Wodehouse had again +faced towards him, half-cowed, half-resisting, Gerald, +who had been looking on in silence, came forward out of +the shadow. He had seen all and heard all, from that +moral deathbed of his, where no personal cares could +again disturb him; and though he had resigned his office, +he could not belie his nature. He came in by instinct to +cherish the dawn of compunction which appeared, as he +thought, in the sinner's words.</p> + +<p>"The best thing that can happen to you," said Gerald, +at the sound of whose voice everybody started, "is to find +out that the wages of sin are bitter. Don't expect any +sympathy or consolation from those who have helped you +to do wrong. My brother tries to induce you to do a right +act from an unworthy motive. He says your former +associates will not acknowledge you. My advice to you is +to forsake your former associates. My brother," said +Gerald, turning aside to look at him, "would do himself +honour if he forsook them also—but for you, here is your +opportunity. You have no temptation of poverty now. +Take the first step, and forsake them. I have no motive in +advising you—except, indeed, that I am Jack Wentworth's +brother. He and you are different," said Gerald, involuntarily +glancing from one to the other. "And at present you +have the means of escape. Go now and leave them," said +the man who was a priest by nature. The light returned to +his eye while he spoke; he was no longer passive, contemplating +his own moral death; his natural office had come +back to him unawares. He stretched his arm towards the +door, thinking of nothing but the escape of the sinner. +"Go," said Gerald. "Refuse their approbation; shun their +society. For Christ's sake, and not for theirs, make amends +to those you have wronged. Jack, I command you to let him +go."</p> + +<p>Jack, who had been startled at first, had recovered +himself long before his brother ceased to speak. "Let him +go, by all means," he said, and stood superbly indifferent +by Gerald's side, whistling under his breath a tripping +lively air. "No occasion for solemnity. The sooner he goes +the better," said Jack. "In short, I see no reason why any +of us should stay, now the business is accomplished. I +wonder would his reverence ever forgive me if I lighted +my cigar?" He took out his case as he spoke, and began to +look over its contents. There was one in the room, however, +who was better acquainted with the indications of Jack +Wentworth's face than either of his brothers. This +unfortunate, who was hanging in an agony of uncertainty +over the chair he had placed before him, watched every +movement of his leader's face with the anxious gaze of a +lover, hoping to see a little corresponding anxiety in it, but +watched in vain. Wodehouse had been going through a +fever of doubt and divided impulses. The shabby fellow +was open to good impressions, though he was not much in +the way of practising them; and Gerald's address, which, +in the first place, filled him with awe, moved him afterwards +with passing thrills of compunction, mingled with a +kind of delight at the idea of getting free. When his +admonitor said "Go," Wodehouse made a step towards +the door, and for an instant felt the exhilaration of +enfranchisement. But the next moment his eye sought +Jack Wentworth's face, which was so superbly careless, so +indifferent to him and his intentions, and the vagabond's +soul succumbed with a canine fidelity to his master. Had +Jack shown any interest, any excitement in the matter, his +sway might have been doubtful; but in proportion to +the sense of his own insignificance and unimportance +Wodehouse's allegiance confirmed itself. He looked wistfully +towards the hero of his imagination, as that skilful +personage selected his cigar. He would rather have been +kicked again than left alone, and left to himself. After all, +it was very true what Jack Wentworth said. They might +be a bad lot, but they were gentlemen (according to +Wodehouse's understanding of the word) with whom he +had been associated; and beatific visions of peers and +baronets and honourables, amongst whom his own shabby +person had figured, without feeling much below the common +level, crossed his mind with all the sweetness which +belongs to a past state of affairs. Yet it was still in his +power to recall these vanishing glories. Now that he was +rich, and could "cut a figure" among the objects of his +admiration, was that brilliant world to be closed upon him +for ever by his own obstinacy? As these thoughts rushed +through his mind, little Rosa's beauty and natural grace +came suddenly to his recollection. Nobody need know +how he had got his pretty wife, and a pretty wife she +would be—a creature whom nobody could help admiring. +Wodehouse looked wistfully at Jack Wentworth, who took +no notice of him as he chose his cigar. Jack was not only +the ideal of the clumsy rogue, but he was the doorkeeper +of that paradise of disreputable nobles and ruined gentlemen +which was Wodehouse's idea of good society; and from all +this was he about to be banished? Jack Wentworth selected +his cigar with as much care as if his happiness depended +on it, and took no notice of the stealthy glances thrown at +him. "I'll get a light in the hall," said Jack; "good evening +to you," and he was actually going away.</p> + +<p>"Look here," said Wodehouse, hastily, in his beard; "I +aint a man to forsake old friends. If Jack Wentworth does +not mean anything unreasonable, or against a fellow's honour—Hold +your tongue, Waters; by Jove! I know my +friends. I know you would never have been one of them +but for Jack Wentworth. He's not the common sort, I can +tell you. He's the greatest swell going, by Jove!" cried +Jack's admiring follower, "and through thick and thin he's +stood by me. I aint going to forsake him now—that is, if he +don't want anything that goes against a fellow's honour," +said the repentant prodigal, again sinking the voice which +he had raised for a moment. As he spoke he looked more +wistfully than ever towards his leader, who said "Pshaw!" +with an impatient gesture, and put back his cigar.</p> + +<p>"This room is too hot for anything," said Jack; "but +don't open the window, I entreat of you. I hate to assist at +the suicide of a set of insane insects. For heaven's sake, +Frank, mind what you're doing. As for Mr Wodehouse's +remark," said Jack, lightly, "I trust I never could suggest +anything which would wound his keen sense of honour. I +advise you to marry and settle, as I am in the habit of +advising young men; and if I were to add that it would be +seemly to make some provision for your sisters—"</p> + +<p>"Stop there!" said the Curate, who had taken no part +in the scene up to this moment. He had stood behind +rather contemptuously, determined to have nothing to do +with his ungrateful and ungenerous protégé. But now an +unreasonable impulse forced him into the discussion. "The +less that is said on that part of the subject the better," he +said, with some natural heat. "I object to the mixing up of +names which—which no one here has any right to bandy +about—"</p> + +<p>"That is very true," said Mr Proctor; "but still they +have their rights," the late Rector added after a pause. +"We have no right to stand in the way of their—their +interest, you know." It occurred to Mr Proctor, indeed, +that the suggestion was on the whole a sensible one. +"Even if they were to—to marry, you know, they might +still be left unprovided for," said the late Rector. "I think +it is quite just that some provision should be made for +that."</p> + +<p>And then there was a pause. Frank Wentworth was +sufficiently aware after his first start of indignation that he +had no right to interfere, as Mr Proctor said, between the +Miss Wodehouses and their interest. He had no means of +providing for them, of setting them above the chances of +fortune. He reflected bitterly that it was not in his power +to offer a home to Lucy, and through her to her sister. +What he had to do was to stand by silently, to suffer other +people to discuss what was to be done for the woman +whom he loved, and whose name was sacred to him. This +was a stretch of patience of which he was not capable. "I +can only say again," said the Curate, "that I think this +discussion has gone far enough. Whatever matters of +business there may be that require arrangement had +better be settled between Mr Brown and Mr Waters. So +far as private feeling goes—"</p> + +<p>"Never fear, I'll manage it," said Jack Wentworth, "as +well as a dozen lawyers. Private feeling has nothing to do +with it. Have a cigar, Wodehouse? We'll talk it over as we +walk home," said the condescending potentate. These +words dispersed the assembly, which no longer had any +object. As Jack Wentworth sauntered out, his faithful +follower pressed through the others to join him. Wodehouse +was himself again. He gave a sulky nod to the Curate, and +said, "Good-night, parson, I don't owe much to you," and +hastened out close upon the heels of his patron and leader. +All the authorities of Carlingford, the virtuous people who +conferred station and respectability by a look, sank into +utter insignificance in presence of Jack. His admiring +follower went after him with a swell of pride. He was a +poor enough rogue himself, hustled and abused by everybody, +an unsuccessful and shabby vagabond, notwithstanding +his new fortune; but Jack was the glorified +impersonation of cleverness and wickedness and triumph +to Wodehouse. He grew insolent when he was permitted +to put his arm through that of his hero, and went off with +him trying to copy, in swagger and insolence, his careless +step and well-bred ease. Perhaps Jack Wentworth felt a +little ashamed of himself as he emerged from the gate of +the Rectory with his shabby and disreputable companion. +He shrugged his shoulders slightly as he looked back and +saw Gerald and Frank coming slowly out together. +"<i>Coraggio!</i>" said Jack to himself, "it is I who am the true +philanthropist. Let us do evil that good may come." +Notwithstanding, he was very thankful not to be seen by +his father, who had wished to consult him as a man of the +world, and had shown certain yearnings towards him, +which, to Jack's infinite surprise, awakened responsive +feelings in his own unaccustomed bosom. He was half +ashamed of this secret movement of natural affection, +which, certainly, nobody else suspected; but it was with a +sensation of relief that he closed the Rectory gate behind +him, without having encountered the keen inquiring +suspicious glances of the Squire. The others dispersed +according to their pleasure—Mr Waters joining the party +up-stairs, while Mr Proctor followed Jack Wentworth and +Wodehouse to the door with naïve natural curiosity. When +the excellent man recollected that he was listening to +private conversation, and met Wodehouse's look of sulky +insolence, he turned back again, much fluttered and +disturbed. He had an interest in the matter, though the +two in whose hands it now lay were the last whom he +would have chosen as confidants; and to do him justice, he +was thinking of Lucy only in his desire to hear what they +decided upon. "Something might happen to me," he said +to himself; "and, even if all was well, she would be +happier not to be wholly dependent upon her sister;" with +which self-exculpatory reflection, Mr Proctor slowly +followed the others into the drawing-room. Gerald and +Frank, who were neither of them disposed for society, +went away together. They had enough to think of, without +much need of conversation, and they had walked half-way +down Grange Lane before either spoke. Then it was +Frank who broke the silence abruptly with a question +which had nothing to do with the business in which they +had been engaged.</p> + +<p>"And what do you mean to do?" said Frank, suddenly. +It was just as they came in sight of the graceful spire of St +Roque's; and perhaps it was the sight of his own church +which roused the Perpetual Curate to think of the henceforth +aimless life of his brother. "I don't understand how +you are to give up your work. To-night even—"</p> + +<p>"I did not forget myself," said Gerald; "every man who +can distinguish good from evil has a right to advise his +fellow-creature. I have not given up that common +privilege—don't hope it, Frank," said the martyr, with a +momentary smile.</p> + +<p>"If I could but understand why it is that you make this +terrible sacrifice!" said the Curate—"No, I don't want to +argue—of course, you are convinced. I can understand the +wish that our unfortunate division had never taken place; +but I can't understand the sacrifice of a man's life and +work. Nothing is perfect in this world; but at least to do +something in it—to be good for something—and with your +faculties, Gerald!" cried the admiring and regretful brother. +"Can abstract right in an institution, if that is what you +aim at, be worth the sacrifice of your existence—your +power of influencing your fellow-creatures?" This Mr +Wentworth said, being specially moved by the circumstances +in which he found himself—for, under any other +conditions, such sentiments would have produced the +warmest opposition in his Anglican bosom. But he was so +far sympathetic that he could be tolerant to his brother +who had gone to Rome.</p> + +<p>"I know what you mean," said Gerald; "it is the prevailing +theory in England that all human institutions are +imperfect. My dear Frank, I want a Church which is not a +human institution. In England it seems to be the rule of +faith that every man may believe as he pleases. There is +no authority either to decide or to punish. If you can +foresee what that may lead us to, I cannot. I take refuge in +the true Church, where alone there is certainty—where," +said the convert, with a heightened colour and a long-drawn +breath, "there is authority clear and decisive. In +England you believe what you will, and the result will be +one that I at least fear to contemplate; in Rome we believe +what—we must," said Gerald. He said the words slowly, +bowing his head more than once with determined +submission, as if bending under the yoke. "Frank, it is +salvation!" said the new Catholic, with the emphasis of a +despairing hope. And for the first time Frank Wentworth +perceived what it was which had driven his brother to +Rome.</p> + +<p>"I understand you now," said the Perpetual Curate; "it +is because there is no room for our conflicting doctrines +and latitude of belief. Instead of a Church happily so far +imperfect, that a man can put his life to the best account in +it, without absolutely delivering up his intellect to a set of +doctrines, you seek a perfect Church, in which, for a +symmetrical system of doctrine, you lose the use of your +existence!" Mr Wentworth uttered this opinion with all the +more vehemence, that it was in direct opposition to his +own habitual ideas; but even his veneration for his "Mother" +yielded for the moment to his strong sense of his brother's +mistake.</p> + +<p>"It is a hard thing to say," said Gerald, "but it is true. If +you but knew the consolation, after years of struggling +among the problems of faith, to find one's self at last upon +a rock of authority, of certainty—one holds in one's hand +at last the interpretation of the enigma," said Gerald. He +looked up to the sky as he spoke, and breathed into the +serene air a wistful lingering sigh. If it was certainty that +echoed in that breath of unsatisfied nature, the sound was +sadly out of concord with the sentiment. His soul, notwithstanding +that expression of serenity, was still as wistful as +the night.</p> + +<p>"Have you the interpretation?" said his brother; and +Frank, too, looked up into the pure sky above, with its +stars which stretched over them serene and silent, arching +over the town that lay behind, and of which nobody +knew better than he the human mysteries and wonderful +unanswerable questions. The heart of the Curate ached to +think how many problems lay in the darkness, over which +that sky stretched silent, making no sign. There were the +sorrowful of the earth, enduring their afflictions, lifting up +pitiful hands, demanding of God in their bereavements +and in their miseries the reason why. There were all the +inequalities of life, side by side, evermore echoing dumbly +the same awful question; and over all shone the calm sky +which gave no answer. "Have you the interpretation?" he +said. "Perhaps you can reconcile freewill and predestination—the +need of a universal atonement and the existence +of individual virtue? But these are not to me the most +difficult questions. Can your Church explain why one man +is happy and another miserable?—why one has everything +and abounds, and the other loses all that is most precious +in life? My sister Mary, for example," said the Curate, +"she seems to bear the cross for our family. Her children +die and yours live. Can you explain to her why? I have +heard her cry out to God to know the reason, and He +made no answer. Tell me, have you the interpretation?" +cried the young man, on whom the hardness of his own +position was pressing at the moment. They went on +together in silence for a few minutes, without any attempt +on Gerald's part to answer. "You accept the explanation +of the Church in respect to doctrines," said the Curate, +after that pause, "and consent that her authority is +sufficient, and that your perplexity is over—that is well +enough, so far as it goes: but outside lies a world in which +every event is an enigma, where nothing that comes offers +any explanation of itself; where God does not show Himself +always kind, but by times awful, terrible—a God who +smites and does not spare. It is easy to make a harmonious +balance of doctrine; but where is the interpretation of +life?" The young priest looked back on his memory, and +recalled, as if they had been in a book, the daily problems +with which he was so well acquainted. As for Gerald, he +bowed his head a little, with a kind of reverence, as if he +had been bowing before the shrine of a saint.</p> + +<p>"I have had a happy life," said the elder brother. +"I have not been driven to ask such questions for myself. +To these the Church has but one advice to offer: Trust +God."</p> + +<p>"We say so in England," said Frank Wentworth; "it is +the grand scope of our teaching. Trust God. He will not +explain Himself, nor can we attempt it. When it is certain +that I must be content with this answer for all the sorrows +of life, I am content to take my doctrines on the same +terms," said the Perpetual Curate; and by this time they +had come to Miss Wentworth's door. After all, perhaps it +was not Gerald, except so far as he was carried by a +wonderful force of human sympathy and purity of soul, +who was the predestined priest of the family. As he went +up to his own room, a momentary spasm of doubt came +upon the new convert—whether, perhaps, he was making +a sacrifice of his life for a mistake. He hushed the thought +forcibly as it rose; such impulses were no longer to be +listened to. The same authority which made faith certain, +decided every doubt to be sin.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XLI" id="CHAPTER_XLI"></a>CHAPTER XLI.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Next</span> morning the Curate got up with anticipations which +were far from cheerful, and a weary sense of the monotony +and dulness of life. He had won his little battle, it was +true; but the very victory had removed that excitement +which answered in the absence of happier stimulations to +keep up his heart and courage. After a struggle like that in +which he had been engaged, it was hard to come again into +the peaceable routine without any particular hope to +enliven or happiness to cheer it, which was all he had at +present to look for in his life; and it was harder still to feel +the necessity of being silent, of standing apart from Lucy +in her need, of shutting up in his own heart the longing he +had towards her, and refraining himself from the desperate +thought of uniting his genteel beggary to hers. That was +the one thing which must not be thought of, and he +subdued himself with an impatient sigh, and could not but +wonder, as he went down-stairs, whether, if Gerald had +been less smoothly guided through the perplexing paths of +life, he would have found time for all the difficulties which +had driven him to take refuge in Rome. It was with this +sense of hopeless restraint and incapacity, which is perhaps +of all sensations the most humbling, that he went down-stairs, +and found lying on his breakfast table, the first +thing that met his eye, the note which Lucy Wodehouse +had written to him on the previous night. As he read it, the +earth somehow turned to the sun; the dubious light brightened +in the skies. Unawares, he had been wondering +never to receive any token of sympathy, any word of +encouragement, from those for whom he had made so +many exertions. When he had read Lucy's letter, the +aspect of affairs changed considerably. To be sure, nothing +that she had said or could say made any difference in the +facts of the case; but the Curate was young, and still liable +to those changes of atmosphere which do more for an +imaginative mind than real revolutions. He read the letter +several times over as he lingered through his breakfast, +making on the whole an agreeable meal, and finding +himself repossessed of his ordinary healthful appetite. He +even canvassed the signature as much in reading as Lucy +had done in writing it—balancing in his mind the maidenly +"truly yours" of that subscription with as many ingenious +renderings of its possible meaning as if Lucy's letter had +been articles of faith. "Truly mine," he said to himself, +with a smile; which indeed meant all a lover could require; +and then paused, as if he had been Dr Lushington or Lord +Westbury, to inquire into the real force of the phrase. For +after all, it is not only when signing the Articles that the +bond and pledge of subscription means more than is +intended. When Mr Wentworth was able to tear himself +from the agreeable casuistry of this self-discussion, he got +up in much better spirits to go about his daily business. +First of all, he had to see his father, and ascertain what +were the Squire's intentions, and how long he meant to +stay in Carlingford; and then— It occurred to the +Perpetual Curate that after that, politeness demanded +that he should call on the Miss Wodehouses, who had, or +at least one of them, expressed so frankly their confidence +in him. He could not but call to thank her, to inquire into +their plans, perhaps to back aunt Leonora's invitation, +which he was aware had been gratefully declined. With +these ideas in his mind he went down-stairs, after brushing +his hat very carefully and casting one solicitous glance in +the mirror as he passed—which presented to him a very +creditable reflection, an eidolon in perfect clerical apparel, +without any rusty suggestions of a Perpetual Curacy. Yet +a Perpetual Curacy it was which was his sole benefice or +hope in his present circumstances, for he knew very well +that, were all other objections at an end, neither +Skelmersdale nor Wentworth could be kept open for him; +and that beyond these two he had not a hope of advancement—and +at the same time he was pledged to remain in +Carlingford. All this, however, though discouraging +enough, did not succeed in discouraging Mr Wentworth +after he had read Lucy's letter. He went down-stairs so +lightly that Mrs Hadwin, who was waiting in the parlour in +her best cap, to ask if he would pardon her for making +such a mistake, did not hear him pass, and sat waiting for +an hour, forgetting, or rather neglecting to give any +response, when the butcher came for orders—which was +an unprecedented accident. Mr Wentworth went cheerfully +up Grange Lane, meeting, by a singular chance, ever so +many people, who stopped to shake hands with him, or at +least bowed their good wishes and friendly acknowledgments. +He smiled in himself at these evidences of popular +penitence, but was not the less pleased to find himself +reinstated in his place in the affections and respect of +Carlingford. "After all, it was not an unnatural mistake," +he said to himself, and smiled benignly upon the excellent +people who had found out the error of their own ways. +Carlingford, indeed, seemed altogether in a more cheerful +state than usual, and Mr Wentworth could not but think +that the community in general was glad to find that it had +been deceived, and so went upon his way, pleasing himself +with those maxims about the ultimate prevalence of +justice and truth, which make it apparent that goodness is +always victorious, and wickedness punished, in the end. +Somehow even a popular fallacy has an aspect of truth +when it suits one's own case. The Perpetual Curate went +through his aunts' garden with a conscious smile, feeling +once more master of himself and his concerns. There was, +to tell the truth, even a slight shade of self-content and +approbation upon his handsome countenance. In the +present changed state of public opinion and private feeling, +he began to take some pleasure in his sacrifice. To be sure, +a Perpetual Curate could not marry; but perhaps Lucy—in +short, there was no telling what might happen; and it +was accordingly with that delicious sense of goodness +which generally attends an act of self-sacrifice, mingled +with an equally delicious feeling that the act, when +accomplished, might turn out no such great sacrifice after +all—which it is to be feared is the most usual way in which +the sacrifices of youth are made—that the Curate walked +into the hall, passing his aunt Dora's toy terrier without +that violent inclination to give it a whack with his cane in +passing which was his usual state of feeling. To tell the +truth, Lucy's letter had made him at peace with all the +world.</p> + +<p>When, however, he entered the dining-room, where +the family were still at breakfast, Frank's serenity was +unexpectedly disturbed. The first thing that met his eyes +was his aunt Leonora, towering over her tea-urn at the upper +end of the table, holding in her hand a letter which she +had just opened. The envelope had fallen in the midst of +the immaculate breakfast "things," and indeed lay, with +its broad black edge on the top of the snow-white lumps, in +Miss Leonora's own sugar-basin; and the news had been +sufficiently interesting to suspend the operations of tea-making, +and to bring the strong-minded woman to her +feet. The first words which were audible to Frank revealed +to him the nature of the intelligence which had produced +such startling effects.</p> + +<p>"He was always a contradictory man," said Miss Leonora; +"since the first hour he was in Skelmersdale, he has made +a practice of doing things at the wrong time. I don't mean +to reproach the poor man now he's gone; but when he has +been so long of going, what good could it do him to choose +this particular moment, for no other reason that I can see, +except that it was specially uncomfortable to us? What my +brother has just been saying makes it all the worse," said +Miss Leonora, with a look of annoyance. She had turned +her head away from the door, which was at the side of the +room, and had not perceived the entrance of the Curate. +"As long as we could imagine that Frank was to succeed to +the Rectory, the thing looked comparatively easy. I beg +your pardon, Gerald. Of course, you know how grieved I +am—in short, that we all feel the deepest distress and +vexation; but, to be sure, since you have given it up, +somebody must succeed you—there can be no doubt of +that."</p> + +<p>"Not the least, my dear aunt," said Gerald.</p> + +<p>"I am glad you grant so much. It is well to be sure of +something," said the incisive and peremptory speaker. "It +would have been a painful thing for us at any time to place +another person in Skelmersdale while Frank was +unprovided for; but, of course," said Miss Leonora, sitting +down suddenly, "nobody who knows me could suppose for +a minute that I would let my feelings stand in the way of +my public duty. Still it is very awkward just at this +moment when Frank, on the whole, has been behaving +very properly, and one can't help so far approving of +him—"</p> + +<p>"I am much obliged to you, aunt Leonora," said the +Curate.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you are there, Frank," said his sensible aunt; and +strong-minded though she was, a slight shade of additional +colour appeared for a moment on Miss Leonora's face. She +paused a little, evidently diverted from the line of discourse +which she had contemplated, and wavered like a vessel +disturbed in its course. "The fact is, I have just had a +letter announcing Mr Shirley's death," she continued, +facing round towards her nephew, and setting off abruptly, +in face of all consequences, on the new tack.</p> + +<p>"I am very sorry," said Frank Wentworth; "though I +have an old grudge at him on account of his long sermons; +but as you have expected it for a year or two, I can't +imagine your grief to be overwhelming," said the Curate, +with a touch of natural impertinence to be expected under +the circumstances. Skelmersdale had been so long thought +interesting to him, that now, when it was not in the least +interesting, he got impatient of the name.</p> + +<p>"I quite agree with you, Frank," said Miss Wentworth. +Aunt Cecilia had not been able for a long time to agree +with anybody. She had been, on the contrary, shaking her +head and shedding a few gentle tears over Gerald's silent +submission and Louisa's noisy lamentations. Everything +was somehow going wrong; and she who had no power to +mend, at least could not assent, and broke through her old +use and wont to shake her head, which was a thing very +alarming to the family. The entire party was moved by a +sensation of pleasure to hear Miss Cecilia say, "I quite +agree with you, Frank."</p> + +<p>"You are looking better this morning, my dear aunt," +said Gerald. They had a great respect for each other these +two; but when Miss Cecilia turned to hear what her elder +nephew was saying, her face lost the momentary look of +approval it had worn, and she again, though very softly, +almost imperceptibly, began to shake her head.</p> + +<p>"We were not asking for your sympathy," said Miss +Leonora, sharply. "Don't talk like a saucy boy. We were +talking of our own embarrassment. There is a very excellent +young man, the curate of the parish, whom Julia Trench is +to be married to. By the way, of course, this must put it +off; but I was about to say, when you interrupted me, that +to give it away from you at this moment, just as you had +been doing well—doing—your duty," said Miss Leonora, +with unusual hesitation, "was certainly very uncomfortable, +to say the least, to us."</p> + +<p>"Don't let that have the slightest influence on you, I +beg," cried the Perpetual Curate, with all the pride of his +years. "I hope I have been doing my duty all along," the +young man added, more softly, a moment after; upon +which the Squire gave a little nod, partly of satisfaction +and encouragement to his son—partly of remonstrance +and protest to his sister.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I suppose so—with the flowers at Easter, for +example," said Miss Leonora, with a slight sneer. "I +consider that I have stood by you through all this business, +Frank—but, of course, in so important a matter as a cure +of souls, neither relationship, nor, to a certain extent, +approval," said Miss Leonora, with again some hesitation, +"can be allowed to stand against public duty. We have the +responsibility of providing a good gospel minister—"</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon for interrupting you, Leonora," said +the Squire, "but I can't help thinking that you make a +mistake. I think it's a man's bounden duty, when there is +a living in the family, to educate one of his sons for it. In +my opinion, it's one of the duties of property. You have no +right to live off your estate, and spend your money elsewhere; +and no more have you any right to give less than—than +your own flesh and blood to the people you have the +charge of. You've got the charge of them to—to a certain +extent—soul and body, sir," said the Squire, growing +warm, as he put down his 'Times,' and forgetting that he +addressed a lady. "I'd never have any peace of mind if I +filled up a family living with a stranger—unless, of +course," Mr Wentworth added in a parenthesis—an +unlikely sort of contingency which had not occurred to him +at first—"you should happen to have no second son.—The +eldest the squire, the second the rector. That's my idea, +Leonora, of Church and State."</p> + +<p>Miss Leonora smiled a little at her brother's semi-feudal, +semi-pagan ideas. "I have long known that we were not of +the same way of thinking," said the strong-minded aunt, +who, though cleverer than her brother, was too wise in her +own conceit to perceive at the first glance the noble, +simple conception of his own duties and position, which +was implied in the honest gentleman's words. "Your second +son might be either a fool or a knave, or even, although +neither, might be quite unfit to be intrusted with the +eternal interests of his fellow-creatures. In my opinion, +the duty of choosing a clergyman is one not to be exercised +without the gravest deliberation. A conscientious man would +make his selection dependent, at least, upon the character +of his second son—if he had one. We, however—"</p> + +<p>"But then his character is <i>so</i> satisfactory, Leonora," +cried Miss Dora, feeling emboldened by the shadow of +visitors under whose shield she could always retire. +"Everybody knows what a good clergyman he is—I am +sure it would be like a new world in Skelmersdale if you +were there, Frank, my dear—and he preaches such +beautiful sermons!" said the unlucky little woman, upon +whom her sister immediately descended, swift and sudden, +like a storm at sea.</p> + +<p>"We are generally perfectly of accord in our conclusions," +said Miss Leonora; "as for Dora, she comes to the same +end by a roundabout way. After what my brother has +been saying—"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the Squire, with uncomfortable looks, "I +was saying to your aunt, Frank, what I said to you about +poor Mary. Since Gerald <i>will</i> go, and since you don't want +to come, the best thing to do would be to have Huxtable. +He's a very good fellow on the whole, and it might cheer +her up, poor soul, to be near her sisters. Life has been +hard work to her, poor girl—very hard work, sir," said the +Squire, with a sigh. The idea was troublesome and uncomfortable, +and always disturbed his mind when it occurred +to him. It was indeed a secret humiliation to the Squire, +that his eldest daughter possessed so little the characteristic +health and prosperity of the Wentworths. He was very +sorry for her, but yet half angry and half ashamed, as if +she could have helped it; but, however, he had been +obliged to admit, in his private deliberations on the subject, +that, failing Frank, Mary's husband had the next best +right to Wentworth Rectory—an arrangement of which +Miss Leonora did not approve.</p> + +<p>"I was about to say that we have no second son," she +said, taking up the thread of her discourse where it had +been interrupted. "Our duty is solely towards the Christian +people. I do not pretend to be infallible," said Miss +Leonora, with a meek air of self-contradiction; "but I +should be a very poor creature indeed, if, at my age, I did +not know what I believed, and was not perfectly convinced +that I am right. Consequently (though, I repeat, Mr +Shirley has chosen the most inconvenient moment possible +for dying), it can't be expected of me that I should appoint +my nephew, whose opinions in most points are exactly the +opposite of mine."</p> + +<p>"I wish, at least, you would believe what I say," +interrupted the Curate, impatiently. "There might have +been some sense in all this three months ago; but if +Skelmersdale were the high-road to everything desirable +in the Church, you are all quite aware that I could not +accept it. Stop, Gerald; I am not so disinterested as you +think," said Frank; "if I left Carlingford now, people +would remember against me that my character had been +called in question here. I can remain a perpetual curate," +said the young man, with a smile, "but I can't tolerate any +shadow upon my honour. I am sorry I came in at such an +awkward moment. Good morning, aunt Leonora. I hope +Julia Trench, when she has the Rectory, will always keep +of your way of thinking. She used to incline a little to +mine," he said, mischievously, as he went away.</p> + +<p>"Come back, Frank, presently," said the Squire, whose +attention had been distracted from his 'Times.' Mr +Wentworth began to be tired of such a succession of +exciting discussions. He thought if he had Frank quietly to +himself he could settle matters much more agreeably; but +the 'Times' was certainly an accompaniment more tranquillising +so far as a comfortable meal was concerned.</p> + +<p>"He can't come back presently," said aunt Leonora. +"You speak as if he had nothing to do; when, on the +contrary, he has everything to do—that is worth doing," +said that contradictory authority. "Come back to lunch, +Frank; and I wish you would eat your breakfast, Dora, +and not stare at me."</p> + +<p>Miss Dora had come down to breakfast as an invalid, in +a pretty little cap, with a shawl over her dressing-gown. +She had not yet got over her adventure and the excitement +of Rosa's capture. That unusual accident, and all the +applauses of her courage which had been addressed to her +since, had roused the timid woman. She did not withdraw +her eyes from her sister, though commanded to do so; on +the contrary, her look grew more and more emphatic. She +meant to have made a solemn address, throwing off +Leonora's yoke, and declaring her intention, in this grave +crisis of her nephew's fortunes, of acting for herself; but +her feelings were too much for Miss Dora. The tears came +creeping to the corners of her eyes, and she could not keep +them back; and her attempt at dignity broke down. "I am +never consulted," she said, with a gasp. "I don't mean to +pretend to know better than Leonora; but—but I think it is +very hard that Frank should be disappointed about +Skelmersdale. You may call me as foolish as you please," +said Miss Dora, with rising tears, "I know everybody will +say it is my fault; but I must say I think it is very hard that +Frank should be disappointed. He was always brought up +for it, as everybody knows; and to disappoint him, who is +so good and so nice, for a fat young man, buttered all over +like—like—a pudding-basin," cried poor Miss Dora, +severely adhering to the unity of her desperate metaphor. +"I don't know what Julia Trench can be thinking of; I—I +don't know what Leonora means."</p> + +<p>"I am of the same way of thinking," said aunt Cecilia, +setting down, with a little gentle emphasis, her cup of tea.</p> + +<p>Here was rebellion, open and uncompromised. Miss +Leonora was so much taken by surprise, that she lifted the +tea-urn out of the way, and stared at her interlocutors with +genuine amazement. But she proved herself, as usual, +equal to the occasion.</p> + +<p>"It's unfortunate that we never see eye to eye just at +once," she said, with a look which expressed more distinctly +than words could have done the preliminary flourish of his +whip by means of which a skilful charioteer gets his team +under hand without touching them; "but it is very lucky +that we always come to agree in the end," she added, +more significantly still. It was well to crush insubordination +in the bud. Not that she did not share the sentiment of +her sisters; but then they were guided like ordinary women +by their feelings; whereas Miss Leonora had the rights of +property before her, and the approval of Exeter Hall.</p> + +<p>"And he wants to marry, poor dear boy," said Miss +Dora, pale with fright, yet persevering; "and she is a dear +good girl—the very person for a clergyman's wife; and +what is he to do if he is always to be Curate of St Roque's? +You may say it is my fault, but I cannot help it. He always +used to come to me in all his little troubles; and when he +wants anything very particular, he knows there is nothing +I would not do for him," sobbed the proud aunt, who could +not help recollecting how much use she had been to +Frank. She wiped her eyes at the thought, and held up her +head with a thrill of pride and satisfaction. Nobody could +blame her in that particular at least. "He knew he had +only to tell me what he wanted," said Miss Dora, swelling +out her innocent plumes. Jack, who was sitting opposite, +and who had been listening with admiration, thought it +time to come in on his own part.</p> + +<p>"I hope you don't mean to forsake <i>me</i>, aunt Dora," he +said. "If a poor fellow cannot have faith in his aunt, whom +can he have faith in? I thought it was too good to last," +said the neglected prodigal. "You have left the poor sheep +in the wilderness and gone back to the ninety-and-nine +righteous men who need no repentance." He put up his +handkerchief to <ins title="original reads this">his</ins> eyes as he spoke, and so far forgot +himself as to look with laughter in his face at his brother +Gerald. As for the Squire, he was startled to hear his +eldest son quoting Scripture, and laid aside his paper once +more to know what it meant.</p> + +<p>"I am sure I beg your pardon, Jack," said aunt Dora, +suddenly stopping short, and feeling guilty. "I never +meant to neglect you. Poor dear boy, he never was +properly tried with female society and the comforts of +home; but then you were dining out that night," said the +simple woman, eagerly. "I should have stayed with you, +Jack, <i>of course</i>, had you been at home."</p> + +<p>From this little scene Miss Leonora turned away hastily, +with an exclamation of impatience. She made an abrupt +end of her tea-making, and went off to her little business-room +with a grim smile upon her iron-grey countenance. +She too had been taken in a little by Jack's pleasant farce +of the Sinner Repentant; and it occurred to her to feel a +little ashamed of herself as she went up-stairs. After all, +the ninety-and-nine just men of Jack's irreverent quotation +were worth considering now and then; and Miss Leonora +could not but think with a little humiliation of the contrast +between her nephew Frank and the comfortable young +Curate who was going to marry Julia Trench. He <i>was</i> fat, +it could not be denied; and she remembered his chubby +looks, and his sermons about self-denial and mortification +of the flesh, much as a pious Catholic might think of the +Lenten oratory of a fat friar. But then he was perfectly +sound in his doctrines, and it was undeniable that the +people liked him, and that the appointment was one which +even a Scotch ecclesiastical community full of popular +rights could scarcely have objected to. According to her +own principles, the strong-minded woman could not do +otherwise. She threw herself into her arm-chair with +unnecessary force, and read over the letter which Miss +Trench herself had written. "It is difficult to think of any +consolation in such a bereavement," wrote Mr Shirley's +niece; "but still it is a little comfort to feel that I can throw +myself on your sympathy, my dear and kind friend." +"Little calculating thing!" Miss Leonora said to herself as +she threw down the mournful epistle; and then she could +not help thinking again of Frank. To be sure, he was not of +her way of thinking; but when she remembered the +"investigation" and its result, and the secret romance +involved in it, her Wentworth blood sent a thrill of pride +and pleasure through her veins. Miss Leonora, though she +was strong-minded, was still woman enough to perceive +her nephew's motives in his benevolence to Wodehouse; +but these motives, which were strong enough to make him +endure so much annoyance, were not strong enough to +tempt him from Carlingford and his Perpetual Curacy, +where his honour and reputation, in the face of love and +ambition, demanded that he should remain. "It would be +a pity to balk him in his self-sacrifice," she said to herself, +with again a somewhat grim smile, and a comparison not +much to the advantage of Julia Trench and <i>her</i> curate. She +shut herself up among her papers till luncheon, and only +emerged with a stormy front when that meal was on the +table; during the progress of which she snubbed everybody +who ventured to speak to her, and spoke to her nephew +Frank as if he might have been suspected of designs upon +the plate-chest. Such were the unpleasant consequences of +the struggle between duty and inclination in the bosom of +Miss Leonora; and, save for other unforeseen events +which decided the matter for her, it is not by any means so +certain as, judging from her character, it ought to have +been, that duty would have won the day.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XLII" id="CHAPTER_XLII"></a>CHAPTER XLII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Frank Wentworth</span> once more went up Grange Lane, a +thoughtful and a sober man. Exhilaration comes but by +moments in the happiest of lives—and already he began to +remember how very little he had to be elated about, and +how entirely things remained as before. Even Lucy; her +letter very probably might be only an effusion of friendship; +and at all events, what could he say to her—what did +he dare in honour say? And then his mind went off to think +of the two rectories, between which he had fallen as +between two stools: though he had made up his mind to +accept neither, he did not the less feel a certain mortification +in seeing that his relations on both sides were so +willing to bestow their gifts elsewhere. He could not +tolerate the idea of succeeding Gerald in his own person, +but still he found it very disagreeable to consent to the +thought that Huxtable should replace him—Huxtable, +who was a good fellow enough, but of whom Frank +Wentworth thought, as men generally think of their +brothers-in-law, with a half-impatient, half-contemptuous +wonder what Mary could ever have seen in so commonplace +a man. To think of him as rector of Wentworth +inwardly chafed the spirit of the Perpetual Curate. As he +was going along, absorbed in his own thoughts, he did not +perceive how his approach was watched for from the other +side of the way by Elsworthy, who stood with his bundle of +newspapers under his arm and his hat in his hand, watching +for "his clergyman" with submission and apology on the +surface, and hidden rancour underneath. Elsworthy was +not penitent; he was furious and disappointed. His +mistake and its consequences were wholly humiliating, +and had not in them a single saving feature to atone for the +wounds of his self-esteem. The Curate had not only baffled +and beaten him, but humbled him in his own eyes, which +is perhaps, of all others, the injury least easy to forgive. It +was, however, with an appearance of the profoundest +submission that he stood awaiting the approach of the man +he had tried so much to injure.</p> + +<p>"Mr Wentworth, sir," said Elsworthy, "if I was worth +your while, I might think as you were offended with me; +but seeing I'm one as is so far beneath you"—he went on +with a kind of grin, intended to represent a deprecatory +smile, but which would have been a snarl had he dared—"I +can't think as you'll bear no malice. May I ask, sir, if +there's a-going to be any difference made?"</p> + +<p>"In what respect, Elsworthy?" said the Curate, shortly.</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, I can't tell," said the clerk of St Roque's. "If +a clergyman was to bear malice, it's in his power to make +things very unpleasant. I don't speak of the place at +church, which aint either here nor there—it's respectable, +but it aint lucrative; but if you was to stretch a point, Mr +Wentworth, by continuing the papers and suchlike—it +aint that I value the money," said Elsworthy, "but I've +been a faithful servant; and I might say, if you was to take +it in a right spirit, an 'umble friend, Mr Wentworth," he +continued, after a little pause, growing bolder. "And now, +as I've that unfortunate creature to provide for, and no +one knowing what's to become of her—"</p> + +<p>"I wonder that you venture to speak of her to me," said +the Curate, with a little indignation, "after all the warnings I +gave you. But you ought to consider that you are to blame +a great deal more than she is. She is only a child; if you +had taken better care of her—but you would not pay any +attention to my warning;—you must bear the consequences +as you best can."</p> + +<p>"Well, sir," said Elsworthy, "if you're a-going to bear +malice, I haven't got nothing to say. But there aint ten +men in Carlingford as wouldn't agree with me that when a +young gentleman, even if he is a clergyman, takes particklar +notice of a pretty young girl, it aint just for nothing as he +does it—not to say watching over her paternal to see as +she wasn't out late at night, and suchlike. But bygones is +bygones, sir," said Elsworthy, "and is never more to be +mentioned by me. I don't ask no more, if you'll but do the +same—"</p> + +<p>"You won't ask no more?" said the Curate, angrily; "do +you think I am afraid of you? I have nothing more to say, +Elsworthy. Go and look after your business—I will attend +to mine; and when we are not forced to meet, let us keep +clear of each other. It will be better both for you and me."</p> + +<p>The Curate passed on with an impatient nod; but his +assailant did not intend that he should escape so easily. "I +shouldn't have thought, sir, as you'd have borne malice," +said Elsworthy, hastening on after him, yet keeping half a +step behind. "I'm a humbled man—different from what I +ever thought to be. I could always keep up my head afore +the world till now; and if it aint your fault, sir—as I +humbly beg your pardon for ever being so far led away as +to believe it was—all the same it's along of you."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" said the Curate, who, half amused +and half indignant at the change of tone, had slackened his +pace to listen to this new accusation.</p> + +<p>"What I mean, sir, is, that if you hadn't been so good +and so kind-hearted as to take into your house the—the +villain as has done it all, him and Rosa could never have +known each other. I allow as it was nothing but your own +goodness as did it; but it was a black day for me and +mine," said the dramatist, with a pathetic turn of voice. +"Not as I'm casting no blame on you, as is well known to +be—"</p> + +<p>"Never mind what I'm well known to be," said the +Curate; "the other day you thought <i>I</i> was the villain. If +you can tell me anything you want me to do, I will +understand that—but I am not desirous to know your +opinion of me," said the careless young man. As he stood +listening impatiently, pausing a second time, Dr +Marjoribanks came out to his door and stepped into his +brougham to go off to his morning round of visits. The +Doctor took off his hat when he saw the Curate, and waved +it to him cheerfully with a gesture of congratulation. Dr +Marjoribanks was quite stanch and honest, and would +have manfully stood by his intimates in dangerous circumstances; +but somehow he preferred success. It was +pleasanter to be able to congratulate people than to condole +with them. He preferred it, and nobody could object to so +orthodox a sentiment. Most probably, if Mr Wentworth +had still been in partial disgrace, the Doctor would not +have seen him in his easy glance down the road; but +though Mr Wentworth was aware of that, the mute +congratulation had yet its effect upon him. He was moved +by that delicate symptom of how the wind was blowing in +Carlingford, and forgot all about Elsworthy, though the +man was standing by his side.</p> + +<p>"As you're so good as to take it kind, sir," said the clerk +of St Roque's—"and, as I was a-saying, it's well known as +you're always ready to hear a poor man's tale—perhaps +you'd let bygones be bygones, and not make no difference? +That wasn't all, Mr Wentworth," he continued eagerly, as +the Curate gave an impatient nod, and turned to go on. +"I've heard as this villain is rich, sir, by means of robbing +of his own flesh and blood;—but it aint for me to trust to +what folks says, after the experience I've had, and never +can forgive myself for being led away," said Elsworthy; +"it's well known in Carlingford—"</p> + +<p>"For heaven's sake come to the point and be done with +it," said the Curate. "What is it you want me to do?"</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Elsworthy, solemnly, "you're a real gentleman, +and you don't bear no malice for what was a mistake—and +you aint one to turn your back on an unfortunate +family—and Mr Wentworth, sir, you aint a-going to stand +by and see me and mine wronged, as have always wished +you well. If we can't get justice of him, we can get +damages," cried Elsworthy. "He aint to be let off as if he'd +done no harm—and seeing as it was along of you—"</p> + +<p>"Hold your tongue, sir!" cried the Curate. "I have +nothing to do with it. Keep out of my way, or at least learn +to restrain your tongue. No more, not a word more," said +the young man, indignantly. He went off with such a +sweep and wind of anger and annoyance, that the slower +and older complainant had no chance to follow him. +Elsworthy accordingly went off to the shop, where his +errand-boys were waiting for the newspapers, and where +Rosa lay up-stairs, weeping, in a dark room, where her +enraged aunt had shut her up. Mrs Elsworthy had shut up +the poor little pretty wretch, who might have been penitent +under better guidance, but who by this time had lost what +sense of shame and wrong her childish conscience was +capable of in the stronger present sense of injury and +resentment and longing to escape; but the angry aunt, +though she could turn the key on poor Rosa's unfortunate +little person, could not shut in the piteous sobs which now +and then sounded through and through the house, and +which converted all the errand-boys without exception into +indignant partisans of Rosa, and even moved the heart of +Peter Hayles, who could hear them at the back window +where he was making up Dr Marjoribanks's prescriptions. +As the sense of injury waxed stronger and stronger in +Rosa's bosom, she availed herself, like any other irrational, +irresponsible creature, of such means of revenging herself +and annoying her keepers as occurred to her. "Nobody +ever took no care of me," sobbed Rosa. "I never had no +father or mother. Oh, I wish I was dead!—and nobody +wouldn't care!" These utterances, it may be imagined, +went to the very heart of the errand-boys, who were +collected in a circle, plotting how to release Rosa, when +Elsworthy, mortified and furious, came back from his +unsuccessful assault on the Curate. They scattered like a +covey of little birds before the angry man, who tossed +their papers at them, and then strode up the echoing +stairs. "If you don't hold your d——d tongue," said Elsworthy, +knocking furiously at Rosa's door, "I'll turn you to the +door this instant, I will, by—." Nobody in Carlingford +had ever before heard an oath issue from the respectable +lips of the clerk of St Roque's. When he went down into +the shop again, the outcries sank into frightened moans. +Not much wonder that the entire neighbourhood became +as indignant with Elsworthy as it ever had been with the +Perpetual Curate. The husband and wife took up their +positions in the shop after this, as far apart as was possible +from each other, both resenting in silent fury the wrong +which the world in general had done them. If Mrs +Elsworthy had dared, she would have exhausted her +passion in abuse of everybody—of the Curate for not +being guilty, of her husband for supposing him to be so, +and, to be sure, of Rosa herself, who was the cause of all. +But Elsworthy was dangerous, not to be approached or +spoken to. He went out about noon to see John Brown, +and discuss with him the question of damages; but the +occurrences which took place in his absence are not to be +mixed up with the present narrative, which concerns Mr +Frank Wentworth's visit to Lucy Wodehouse, and has +nothing to do with ignoble hates or loves.</p> + +<p>The Curate went rapidly on to the green door, which +once more looked like a gate of paradise. He did not know +in the least what he was going to do or say—he was only +conscious of a state of exaltation, a condition of mind +which might precede great happiness or great misery, but +had nothing in it of the common state of affairs in which +people ask each other "How do you do?" Notwithstanding, +<ins title="reads that">the</ins> fact is, that when Lucy entered that dear familiar +drawing-room, where every feature and individual +expression of every piece of furniture was as well known +to him as if they had been so many human faces, it was +only "How do you do?" that the Curate found himself able +to say. The two shook hands as demurely as if Lucy had +indeed been, according to the deceptive representation of +yesterday, as old as aunt Dora; and then she seated +herself in her favourite chair, and tried to begin a little +conversation about things in general. Even in these three +days, nature and youth had done something for Lucy. She +had slept and rested, and the unforeseen misfortune which +had come in to distract her grief had roused all the natural +strength that was in her. As she was a little nervous about +this interview, not knowing what it might end in, Lucy +thought it her duty to be as composed and self-commanding +as possible, and, in order to avoid all dangerous and +exciting subjects, began to talk of Wharfside.</p> + +<p>"I have not heard anything for three or four days about +the poor woman at No. 10," she said; "I meant to have +gone to see her to-day, but somehow one gets so selfish +when—when one's mind is full of affairs of one's own."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the Curate; "and speaking of that, I wanted +to tell you how much comfort your letter had been to me. +My head, too, has been very full of affairs of my own. I +thought at one time that my friends were forsaking me. It +was very good of you to write as you did."</p> + +<p>Upon which there followed another little pause. +"Indeed the goodness was all on your side," said Lucy, +faltering. "If I had ever dreamt how much you were doing +for us! but it all came upon me so suddenly. It is impossible +ever to express in words one-half of the gratitude we owe +you," she said, with restrained enthusiasm. She looked up +at him as she spoke with a little glow of natural fervour, +which brought the colour to her cheek and the moisture to +her eyes. She was not of the disposition to give either +thanks or confidence by halves; and even the slight not +unpleasant sense of danger which gave piquancy to this +interview, made her resolute to express herself fully. She +would not suffer herself to stint her gratitude because of +the sweet suspicion which would not be quite silenced, +that possibly Mr Wentworth looked for something better +than gratitude. Not for any consequences, however much +they might be to be avoided, could she be shabby enough +to refrain from due acknowledgment of devotion so great. +Therefore, while the Perpetual Curate was doing all he +could to remind himself of his condition, and to persuade +himself that it would be utterly wrong and mean of him to +speak, Lucy looked up at him, looked him in the face, +with her blue eyes shining dewy and sweet through tears +of gratitude and a kind of generous admiration; for, like +every other woman, she felt herself exalted and filled with +a delicious pride in seeing that the man of her unconscious +choice had proved himself the best.</p> + +<p>The Curate walked to the window, very much as Mr +Proctor had done, in the tumult and confusion of his heart, +and came back again with what he had to say written clear +on his face, without any possibility of mistake. "I must +speak," said the young man; "I have no right to speak, I +know; if I had attained the height of self-sacrifice and self-denial, +I might, I would be silent—but it is impossible +now." He came to a break just then, looking at her to see +what encouragement he had to go on; but as Lucy did +nothing but listen and grow pale, he had to take his own +way. "What I have to say is not anything new," said the +Curate, labouring a little in his voice, as was inevitable +when affairs had come to such a crisis, "if I were not in the +cruelest position possible to a man. I have only an empty +love to lay at your feet; I tell it to you only because I am +obliged—because, after all, love is worth telling, even if it +comes to nothing. I am not going to appeal to your +generosity," continued the young man, kneeling down at +the table, not by way of kneeling to Lucy, but by way of +bringing himself on a level with her, where she sat with +her head bent down on her low chair, "or to ask you to +bind yourself to a man who has nothing in the world but +love to offer you; but after what has been for years, after +all the hours I have spent here, I cannot—part—I cannot +let you go—without a word—"</p> + +<p>And here he stopped short. He had not asked anything, +so that Lucy, even had she been able, had nothing to +answer; and as for the young lover himself, he seemed to +have come to the limit of his eloquence. He kept waiting +for a moment, gazing at her in breathless expectation of a +response for which his own words had left no room. Then +he rose in an indescribable tumult of disappointment and +mortification—unable to conclude that all was over, +unable to keep silence, yet not knowing what to say.</p> + +<p>"I have been obliged to close all the doors of advancement +upon myself," said the Curate, with a little bitterness; +"I don't know if you understand me. At this moment +I have to deny myself the dearest privilege of existence. +Don't mistake me, Lucy," he said, after another pause, +coming back to her with humility, "I don't venture to say +that you would have accepted anything I had to offer; but +this I mean, that to have a home for you now—to have a +life for you ready to be laid at your feet, whether you +would have had it or not;—what right have I to speak of +such delights?" cried the young man. "It does not matter +to you; and as for me, I have patience—patience to +console myself with—"</p> + +<p>Poor Lucy, though she was on the verge of tears, which +nothing but the most passionate self-restraint could have +kept in, could not help a passing sensation of amusement +at these words. "Not too much of that either," she said, +softly, with a tremulous smile. "But patience carries the +lilies of the saints," said Lucy, with a touch of the sweet +asceticism which had once been so charming to the young +Anglican. It brought him back like a spell to the common +ground on which they used to meet; it brought him back +also to his former position on his knee, which was embarrassing +to Lucy, though she had not the heart to draw +back, nor even to withdraw her hand, which somehow +happened to be in Mr Wentworth's way.</p> + +<p>"I am but a man," said the young lover. "I would rather +have the roses of life—but, Lucy, I am only a perpetual +curate," he continued, with her hand in his. Her answer +was made in the most heartless and indifferent words. She +let two big drops—which fell like hail, though they were +warmer than any summer rain—drop out of her eyes, and +she said, with lips that had some difficulty in enunciating +that heartless sentiment, "I don't see what it matters to +me—"</p> + +<p>Which was true enough, though it did not sound encouraging; +and it is dreadful to confess that, for a little +while after, neither Skelmersdale, nor Wentworth, nor Mr +Proctor's new rectory, nor the no-income of the Perpetual +Curate of St Roque's, had the smallest place in the +thoughts of either of these perfectly inconsiderate young +people. For half an hour they were an Emperor and +Empress seated upon two thrones, to which all the world +was subject; and when at the end of that time they began +to remember the world, it was but to laugh at it in their +infinite youthful superiority. Then it became apparent +that to remain in Carlingford, to work at "the district," to +carry out all the ancient intentions of well-doing which had +been the first bond between them, was, after all, the life of +lives;—which was the state of mind they had both arrived +at when Miss Wodehouse, who thought they had been too +long together under the circumstances, and could not help +wondering what Mr Wentworth could be saying, came into +the room, rather flurried in her own person. She thought +Lucy must have been telling the Curate about Mr Proctor +and his hopes, and was, to tell the truth, a little curious +how Mr Wentworth would take it, and a little—the very +least—ashamed of encountering his critical looks. The +condition of mind into which Miss Wodehouse was thrown +when she perceived the real state of affairs would be +difficult to describe. She was very glad and very sorry, +and utterly puzzled how they were to live; and underneath +all these varying emotions was a sudden, half-ludicrous, +half-humiliating sense of being cast into the shade, which +made Mr Proctor's <i>fiancée</i> laugh and made her cry, and +brought her down altogether off the temporary pedestal +upon which she had stepped, not without a little feminine +satisfaction. When a woman is going to be married, +especially if that marriage falls later than usual, it is +natural that she should expect, for that time at least, to be +the first and most prominent figure in her little circle. But, +alas! what chance could there be for a mild, dove-coloured +bride of forty beside a creature of half her age, endued +with all the natural bloom and natural interest of youth?</p> + +<p>Miss Wodehouse could not quite make out her own +feelings on the subject. "Don't you think if you had waited +a little it would have been wiser?" she said, in her timid +way; and then kissed her young sister, and said, "I am +so glad, my darling—I am sure dear papa would have +been pleased," with a sob which brought back to Lucy the +grief from which she had for the moment escaped. Under +all the circumstances, however, it may well be supposed +that it was rather hard upon Mr Wentworth to recollect +that he had engaged to return to luncheon with the Squire, +and to prepare himself after this momentous morning's +work, to face all the complications of the family, where +still Skelmersdale and Wentworth were hanging in the +balance, and where the minds of his kith and kin were +already too full of excitement to leave much room for +another event. He went away reluctantly enough out of +the momentary paradise where his Perpetual Curacy was +a matter of utter indifference, if not a tender pleasantry, +which rather increased than diminished the happiness of +the moment—into the ordinary daylight world, where it +was a very serious matter, and where what the young +couple would have to live upon became the real question +to be considered. Mr Wentworth met Wodehouse as he +went out, which did not mend matters. The vagabond was +loitering about in the garden, attended by one of Elsworthy's +errand-boys, with whom he was in earnest conversation, +and stopped in his talk to give a sulky nod and +"Good morning," to which the Curate had no desire to +respond more warmly than was necessary. Lucy was +thinking of nothing but himself, and perhaps a little of the +"great work" at Wharfside, which her father's illness and +death had interrupted; but Mr Wentworth, who was only a +man, remembered that Tom Wodehouse would be his +brother-in-law with a distinct sensation of disgust, even in +the moment of his triumph—which is one instance of the +perennial inequality between the two halves of mankind. +He had to brace himself up to the encounter of all his +people, while she had to meet nothing less delightful than +her own dreams. This was how matters came to an issue in +respect of Frank Wentworth's personal happiness. His +worldly affairs were all astray as yet, and he had not the +most distant indication of any gleam of light dawning upon +the horizon which could reconcile his duty and honour +with good fortune and the delights of life. Meanwhile +other discussions were going on in Carlingford, of vital +importance to the two young people who had made up +their minds to cast themselves upon Providence. And +among the various conversations which were being carried +on about the same moment in respect to Mr Wentworth—whose +affairs, as was natural, were extensively canvassed +in Grange Lane, as well as in other less exclusive quarters—it +would be wrong to omit a remarkable consultation +which took place in the Rectory, where Mrs Morgan sat in +the midst of the great bouquets of the drawing-room +carpet, making up her first matrimonial difficulty. It +would be difficult to explain what influence the drawing-room +carpet in the Rectory had on the fortunes of the +Perpetual Curate; but when Mr Wentworth's friends come +to hear the entire outs and ins of the business, it will be +seen that it was not for nothing that Mr Proctor covered +the floor of that pretty apartment with roses and lilies half +a yard long.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XLIII" id="CHAPTER_XLIII"></a>CHAPTER XLIII.</h3> +<p> </p> +<p><span class="smallcaps">These</span> were eventful days in Grange Lane, when gossip +was not nearly rapid enough to follow the march of events. +When Mr Wentworth went to lunch with his family, the +two sisters kept together in the drawing-room, which +seemed again re-consecrated to the purposes of life. Lucy +had not much inclination just at that moment to move out +of her chair; she was not sociable, to tell the truth, nor +disposed to talk even about the new prospects which were +brightening over both. She even took out her needlework, +to the disgust of her sister. "When there are so many +things to talk about, and so much to be considered," Miss +Wodehouse said, with a little indignation; and wondered +within herself whether Lucy was really insensible to "what +had happened," or whether the sense of duty was strong +upon her little sister even in the height of her happiness. A +woman of greater experience or discrimination might have +perceived that Lucy had retired into that sacred silence, +sweetest of all youthful privileges, in which she could +dream over to herself the wonderful hour which had just +come to an end, and the fair future of which it was the +gateway. As for Miss Wodehouse herself, she was in a +flutter, and could not get over the sense of haste and +confusion which this last new incident had brought upon +her. Things were going too fast around her, and the timid +woman was out of breath. Lucy's composure at such a +moment, and, above all, the production of her needlework, +was beyond the comprehension of the elder sister.</p> + +<p>"My dear," said Miss Wodehouse, with an effort, "I +don't doubt that these poor people are badly off, and I am +sure it is very good of you to work for them; but if you will +only think how many things there are to do! My darling, I +am afraid you will have to—to make your own dresses in +future, which is what I never thought to see," she said, +putting her handkerchief to her eyes; "and we have not +had any talk about anything, Lucy, and there are so many +things to think of!" Miss Wodehouse, who was moving +about the room as she spoke, began to lift her own books +and special property off the centre table. The books were +principally ancient Annuals in pretty bindings, which no +representation on Lucy's part could induce her to think +out of date; and among her other possessions was a little +desk in Indian mosaic, of ivory, which had been an +institution in the house from Lucy's earliest recollection. +"And these are yours, Lucy dear," said Miss Wodehouse, +standing up on a chair to take down from the wall two little +pictures which hung side by side. They were copies both, +and neither of great value; one representing the San Sisto +Madonna, and the other a sweet St Agnes, whom Lucy +had in her earlier days taken to her heart. Lucy's slumbering +attention was roused by this sacrilegious act. She gave +a little scream, and dropped her work out of her hands.</p> + +<p>"What do I mean?" said Miss Wodehouse; "indeed, +Lucy dear, we must look it in the face. It is not our +drawing-room any longer, you know." Here she made a +pause, and sighed; but somehow a vision of the other +drawing-room which was awaiting her in the new rectory, +made the prospect less doleful than it might have been. +She cleared up in a surprising way as she turned to look at +her own property on the table. "My cousin Jack gave me +this," said the gentle woman, brushing a little dust off her +pretty desk. "When it came first, there was nothing like it +in Carlingford, for that was before Colonel Chiley and +those other Indian people had settled here. Jack was +rather fond of me in those days, you know, though I never +cared for him," the elder sister continued, with a smile. +"Poor fellow! they said he was not very happy when he +married." Though this was rather a sad fact, Miss Wodehouse +announced it not without a certain gentle satisfaction. +"And, Lucy dear, it is our duty to put aside our own +things; they were all presents, you know," she said, standing +up on the chair again to reach down the St Agnes, +which, ever since Lucy had been confirmed, had hung +opposite to her on the wall.</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't, don't!" cried Lucy. In that little bit of time, +not more than five minutes as it appeared, the familiar +room, which had just heard the romance of her youth, had +come to have a dismantled and desolate look. The agent of +this destruction, who saw in her mind's eye a new scene, +altogether surpassing the old, looked complacently upon +her work, and piled the abstracted articles on the top of +each other, with a pleasant sense of property.</p> + +<p>"And your little chair and work-table are yours," said +Miss Wodehouse; "they were always considered yours. +You worked the chair yourself, though perhaps Miss +Gibbons helped you a little; and the table you know, was +sent home the day you were eighteen. It was—a present, +you remember. Don't cry, my darling, don't cry; oh, I am +sure I did not mean anything!" cried Miss Wodehouse, +putting down the St Agnes and flying to her sister, about +whom she threw her arms. "My hands are all dusty, +dear," said the repentant woman; "but you know, Lucy, +we must look it in the face, for it is not our drawing-room +now. Tom may come in any day and say—oh, dear, dear, +here is some one coming up-stairs!"</p> + +<p>Lucy extricated herself from her sister's arms when +she heard footsteps outside. "If it is anybody who has a +right to come, I suppose we are able to receive them," she +said, and sat erect over her needlework, with a changed +countenance, not condescending so much as to look +towards the door.</p> + +<p>"But what if it should be Tom? Oh, Lucy dear, don't be +uncivil to him," said the elder sister. Miss Wodehouse +even made a furtive attempt to replace the things, in +which she was indignantly stopped by Lucy. "But, my +dear, perhaps it is Tom," said the alarmed woman, and +sank trembling into a chair against the St Agnes, which +had just been deposited there.</p> + +<p>"It does not matter who it is," said Lucy, with dignity. +For her own part, she felt too much aggrieved to mention +his name—aggrieved by her own ignorance, by the +deception that had been practised upon her, by the character +of the man whom she was obliged to call her brother, +and chiefly by his existence, which was the principal +grievance of all. Lucy's brief life had been embellished, +almost ever since she had been capable of independent +action, by deeds and thoughts of mercy. With her whole +heart she was a disciple of Him who came to seek the lost; +notwithstanding, a natural human sentiment in her heart +protested against the existence of this man, who had +brought shame and distress into the family without any act +of theirs, and who injured everybody he came in contact +with. When the thought of Rosa Elsworthy occurred to her, +a burning blush came upon Lucy's cheek—why were such +men permitted in God's world? To be sure, when she +came to be aware of what she was thinking, Lucy felt +guilty, and called herself a Pharisee, and said a prayer in +her heart for the man who had upset all her cherished +ideas of her family and home; but, after all, <i>that</i> was an +after-thought, and did not alter her instinctive sense of +repulsion and indignation. All this swept rapidly through +her mind while she sat awaiting the entrance of the person +or persons who were approaching the door. "If it is the—owner +of the house, it will be best to tell him what things +you mean to remove," said Lucy; and before Miss Wodehouse +could answer, the door was opened. They started, +however, to perceive not Wodehouse, but a personage of +very different appearance, who came in with an easy air +of polite apology, and looked at them with eyes which +recalled to Lucy the eyes which had been gazing into her +own scarcely an hour ago. "Pardon me," said this +unlooked-for visitor; "your brother, Miss Wodehouse, +finds some difficulty in explaining himself to relations from +whom he has been separated so long. Not to interfere with +family privacy, will you let me assist at the conference?" +said Jack Wentworth. "My brother, I understand, is a +friend of yours, and your brother—is a—hem—friend of +mine," the diplomatist added, scarcely able to avoid +making a wry face over the statement. Wodehouse came +in behind, looking an inch or two taller for that acknowledgment, +and sat down, confronting his sisters, who +were standing on the defensive. The heir, too, had a +strong sense of property, as was natural, and the disarrangement +of the room struck him in that point of view, +especially as Miss Wodehouse continued to prop herself +up against the St Agnes in the back of her chair. Wodehouse +looked from the wall to the table, and saw what +appeared to him a clear case of intended spoliation. "By +Jove! they didn't mean to go empty-handed," said the +vagabond, who naturally judged according to his own +standard, and knew no better. Upon which Lucy, rising +with youthful state and dignity, took the explanation upon +herself.</p> + +<p>"I do not see why we should have the mortification of a +spectator," said Lucy, who already, having been engaged +three-quarters of an hour, felt deeply disinclined to reveal +the weak points of her own family to the inspection of the +Wentworths. "All that there is to explain can be done very +simply. Thank you, I will not sit down. Up to this time we +may be allowed to imagine ourselves in our own—in our +father's house. What we have to say is simple enough."</p> + +<p>"But pardon me, my dear Miss Wodehouse—" said +Jack Wentworth.</p> + +<p>"My sister is Miss Wodehouse," said Lucy. "What there +is to settle had better be arranged with our—our brother. +If he will tell us precisely when he wishes us to go away, +we shall be ready. Mary is going to be married," she went +on, turning round so as to face Wodehouse, and addressing +him pointedly, though she did not look at him—to the +exclusion of Jack, who, experienced man as he was, felt +disconcerted, and addressed himself with more precaution +to a task which was less easy than he supposed.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Lucy!" cried Miss Wodehouse, with a blush +worthy of eighteen. It was perhaps the first time that the +fact had been so broadly stated, and the sudden +announcement made before two men overwhelmed the +timid woman. Then she was older than Lucy, and had +picked up in the course of her career one or two inevitable +scraps of experience, and she could not but wonder with a +momentary qualm what Mr Proctor might think of his +brother-in-law. Lucy, who thought Mr Proctor only too well +off, went on without regarding her sister's exclamation.</p> + +<p>"I do not know when the marriage is to be—I don't +suppose they have fixed it yet," said Lucy; "but it appears +to me that it would save us all some trouble if we were +allowed to remain until that time. I do not mean to ask any +favour," she said, with a little more sharpness and less +dignity. "We could pay rent for that matter, if—if it were +desired. She is your sister," said Lucy, suddenly looking +Wodehouse in the face, "as well as mine. I daresay she +has done as much for you as she has for me. I don't ask +any favour for her—but I would cut off my little finger if +that would please her," cried the excited young woman, +with a wildness of illustration so totally out of keeping with +the matter referred to, that Miss Wodehouse, in the midst +of her emotion, could scarcely restrain a scream of terror; +"and you too might be willing to do something; you cannot +have any kind of feeling for me," Lucy continued, recovering +herself; "but you might perhaps have some feeling +for Mary. If we can be permitted to remain until her +marriage takes place, it may perhaps bring about—a +feeling—more like—relations; and I shall be able to—"</p> + +<p>"Forgive you," Lucy was about to say, but fortunately +stopped herself in time; for it was the fact of his existence +that she had to forgive, and naturally such an amount of +toleration was difficult to explain. As for Wodehouse himself, +he listened to this appeal with very mingled feelings. +Some natural admiration and liking woke in his dull mind +as Lucy spoke. He was not destitute of good impulses, nor +of the ordinary human affections. His little sister was +pretty, and a lady, and clever enough to put Jack Wentworth +much more in the background than usual. He said, +"By Jove" to himself three or four times over in his beard, +and showed a little emotion when she said he could have +no feeling for her. At that point of Lucy's address he +moved about uneasily in his chair, and plucked at his +beard, and felt himself anything but comfortable. "By +Jove! I never had a chance," the prodigal said, in his +undertone. "I might have cared a deal for her if I had had +a chance. She might have done a fellow good, by Jove!" +mutterings of which Lucy took no manner of notice, but +proceeded with her speech. When she had ended, and it +became apparent that an answer was expected of him, +Wodehouse flushed all over with the embarrassment of +the position. He cleared his throat, he shifted his eyes, +which were embarrassed by Lucy's gaze, he pushed his +chair from the table, and made various attempts to collect +himself, but at last ended by a pitiful appeal to Jack +Wentworth, who had been looking seriously on. "You +might come to a fellow's assistance!" cried Wodehouse. +"By Jove! it was for that you came here."</p> + +<p>"The Miss Wodehouses evidently prefer to communicate +with their brother direct," said Jack Wentworth, +"which is a very natural sentiment. If I interfere, it is +simply because I have had the advantage of talking the +matter over, and understanding a little of what you mean. +Miss Wodehouse, your brother is not disposed to act the +part of a domestic tyrant. He has come here to offer you +the house, which must have so many tender associations +for you, not for a short period, as you wish, but for—"</p> + +<p>"I didn't know she was going to be married!" exclaimed +Wodehouse—"that makes all the difference, by Jove! +Lucy will marry fast enough; but as for Mary, I never +thought she would hook any one at her time of life," said +the vagabond, with a rude laugh. He turned to Lucy, not +knowing any better, and with some intention of pleasing +her; but being met by a look of indignation under which he +faltered, he went back to his natural rôle of sulky insolence. +"By Jove! when I gave in to make such an offer, I +never thought she had a chance of getting married," said +the heir. "I aint going to give what belongs to me to another +man—"</p> + +<p>"Your brother wishes," said Jack Wentworth, calmly, +"to make over the house and furniture as it stands to you +and your sister, Miss Wodehouse. Of course it is not to be +expected that he should be sorry to get his father's +property; but he is sorry that there should be no—no +provision for you. He means that you should have the +house—"</p> + +<p>"But I never thought she was going to be married, by +Jove!" protested the rightful owner. "Look here, Molly; +you shall have the furniture. The house would sell for a +good bit of money. I tell you, Wentworth—"</p> + +<p>Jack Wentworth did not move from the mantlepiece +where he was standing, but he cast a glance upon his +unlucky follower which froze the words on his lips. "My +good fellow, you are quite at liberty to decline my +mediation in your affairs. Probably you can manage them +better your own way," said Wodehouse's hero. "I can only +beg the Miss Wodehouses to pardon my intrusion." Jack +Wentworth's first step towards the door let loose a flood of +nameless terrors upon the soul of his victim. If he were +abandoned by his powerful protector, what would become +of him? His very desire of money, and the avarice which +prompted him to grudge making any provision for his +sisters, was, after all, not real avarice, but the spendthrift's +longing for more to spend. The house which he was +sentenced to give up represented not so much gold and +silver, but so many pleasures, fine dinners, and bad +company. He could order the dinners by himself, it is +true, and get men like himself to eat them; but the fine +people—the men who had once been fine, and who still +retained a certain tarnished glory—were, so far as Wodehouse +was concerned, entirely in Jack Wentworth's keeping. +He made a piteous appeal to his patron as the great +man turned to go away.</p> + +<p>"I don't see what good it can do <i>you</i> to rob a poor +fellow!" cried Wodehouse. "But look here, I aint going to +turn against your advice. I'll give it them, by Jove, for life—that +is, for Mary's life," said the munificent brother. +"She's twenty years older than Lucy—"</p> + +<p>"How do you dare to subject us to such insults?" cried +the indignant Lucy, whose little hand clenched involuntarily +in her passion. She had a great deal of self-control, +but she was not quite equal to such an emergency; and it +was all she could do to keep from stamping her foot, which +was the only utterance of rage possible to a gentlewoman +in her position. "I would rather see my father's house +desecrated by you living in it," she cried, passionately, +"than accept it as a gift from your hands. Mary, we are not +obliged to submit to this. Let us rather go away at once. I +will not remain in the same room with this man!" cried +Lucy. She was so overwhelmed with her unwonted +passion that she lost all command of the position, and even +of herself, and was false for the moment to all her sweet +codes of womanly behaviour. "How dare you, sir!" she +cried in the sudden storm for which nobody was prepared. +"We will remove the things belonging to us, with which +nobody has any right to interfere, and we will leave +immediately. Mary, come with me!" When she had said +this, Lucy swept out of the room, pale as a little fury, and +feeling in her heart a savage female inclination to strike +Jack Wentworth, who opened the door for her, with her +little white clenched hand. Too much excited to remark +whether her sister had followed her, Lucy ran up-stairs to +her room, and there gave way to the inevitable tears. +Coming to herself after that was a terribly humbling +process to the little Anglican. She had never fallen into a +"passion" before that she knew of, certainly never since +nursery times; and often enough her severe serene girlhood +had looked reproving and surprised upon the tumults +of Prickett's Lane, awing the belligerents into at least temporary +silence. Now poor Lucy sat and cried over her +downfall; she had forgotten herself; she had been conscious +of an inclination to stamp, to scold, even to strike, +in the vehemence of her indignation; and she was utterly +overpowered by the thought of her guiltiness. "The very +first temptation!" she said to herself; and made terrible +reflections upon her own want of strength and endurance. +To-day, too, of all days, when God had been so good to +her! "If I yield to the first temptation like this, how shall I +ever endure to the end?" cried Lucy, and in her heart +thought, with a certain longing, of the sacrament of +penance, and tried to think what she could do that would +be most disagreeable, to the mortifying of the flesh. Perhaps +if she had possessed a more lively sense of humour, +another view of the subject might have struck Lucy; but +humour, fortunately for the unity of human sentiment, is +generally developed at a later period of life, and Lucy's fit +of passion only made her think with greater tenderness +and toleration of her termagants in Prickett's Lane.</p> + +<p>The three who were left down-stairs were in their +different ways impressed by Lucy's passion. Jack Wentworth, +being a man of humour and cultivation, was +amused, but respectful, as having still a certain faculty of +appreciating absolute purity when he saw it. As for Wodehouse, +he gave another rude laugh, but was cowed, in +spite of himself, and felt involuntarily what a shabby +wretch he was, recognising that fact more impressively +from the contempt of Lucy's pale face than he could have +done through hours of argument. Miss Wodehouse, for her +part, though very anxious and nervous, was not without +an interest in the question under discussion. <i>She</i> was not +specially horrified by her brother, or anything he could +say or do. He was Tom to her—a boy with whom she had +once played, and whom she had shielded with all her +sisterly might in his first transgressions. She had suffered a +great deal more by his means than Lucy could ever suffer, +and consequently was more tolerant of him. She kept her +seat with the St Agnes in the chair behind, and watched +the course of events with anxious steadiness. She did not +care for money any more than Lucy did; but she could not +help thinking it would be very pleasant if she could +produce one good action on "poor Tom's" part to plead for +him against any possible criticisms of the future. Miss +Wodehouse was old enough to know that her Rector was +not an ideal hero, but an ordinary man, and it was quite +possible that he might point a future moral now and then +with "that brother of yours, my dear." The elder sister +waited accordingly, with her heart beating quick, to know +the decision, very anxious that she might have at least one +generous deed to record to the advantage of poor Tom.</p> + +<p>"I think we are quite decided on the point," said Jack +Wentworth. "Knowing your sentiments, Wodehouse, I +left directions with Waters about the papers. I think you +will find him to be trusted, Miss Wodehouse, if you wish to +consult him about letting or selling—"</p> + +<p>"By Jove!" exclaimed Wodehouse, under his breath.</p> + +<p>"Which, I suppose," continued the superb Jack, "you +will wish to do under the pleasant circumstances, upon +which I beg to offer you my congratulations. Now, Tom, +my good fellow, I am at your service. I think we have +done our business here."</p> + +<p>Wodehouse got up in his sulky reluctant way like a lazy +dog. "I suppose you won't try to move the furniture now?" +he said. These were the only adieux he intended to make, +and perhaps they might have been expressed with still less +civility, had not Jack Wentworth been standing waiting +for him at the door.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Tom! I am so thankful you have done it!" cried +Miss Wodehouse. "It is not that I care for the money; but +oh, Tom, I am so glad to think nobody can say anything +now." She followed them wistfully to the door, not giving +up hopes of a kinder parting. "I think it is very kind and +nice of you, and what dear papa would have wished," said +the elder sister, forgetting how all her father's plans had +been brought to nothing; "and of course you will live here +all the same?" she said, with a little eagerness, "that is, till—till—as +long as we are here—"</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Miss Wodehouse," said Jack Wentworth. +"I don't think either your brother or I will stay much +longer in Carlingford. You must accept my best wishes for +your happiness all the same."</p> + +<p>"You are very kind, I am sure," said the embarrassed +bride; "and oh, Tom, you will surely say good-bye? Say +good-bye once as if you meant it; don't go away as if you +did not care. Tom, I always was very fond of you; and +don't you feel a little different to us, now you've done us a +kindness?" cried Miss Wodehouse, going out after him to +the landing-place. But Wodehouse was in no humour to be +gracious. Instead of paying any attention to her, he looked +regretfully at the property he had lost.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye," he said, vaguely. "By Jove! I know better +than Jack Wentworth does the value of property. We +might have had a jolly month at Homburg out of that old +place," said the prodigal, with regret, as he went down the +old-fashioned oak stair. That was his farewell to the house +which he had entered so disastrously on the day of his +father's funeral. He followed his leader with a sulky +aspect through the garden, not venturing to disobey, but +yet feeling the weight of his chains. And this was how +Wodehouse accomplished his personal share in the gift to +his sisters, of which Miss Wodehouse told everybody that +it was "so good of Tom!"</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XLIV" id="CHAPTER_XLIV"></a>CHAPTER XLIV.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">Going</span> to be married!" said the Squire; "and to a sister of—I +thought you told me she was as old as Dora, Frank? I +did not expect to meet with any further complications," +the old man said, plaintively: "of course you know very +well I don't object to your marrying; but why on earth did +you let me speak of Wentworth Rectory to Huxtable?" +cried Mr Wentworth. He was almost more impatient +about this new variety in the family circumstances than he +had been of more serious family distresses. "God bless +me, sir," said the Squire, "what do you mean by it? You +take means to affront your aunts and lose Skelmersdale; +and then you put it into my head to have Mary at +Wentworth; and then you quarrel with the Rector, and get +into hot water in Carlingford; and, to make an end of all, +you coolly propose to an innocent young woman, and tell +me you are going to marry—what on earth do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"I am going to marry some time, sir, I hope," said the +Perpetual Curate, with more cheerfulness than he felt; +"but not at the present moment. Of course we both know +that is impossible. I should like you to come with me and +see her before you leave Carlingford. She would like it, +and so should I."</p> + +<p>"Well, well," said the Squire. Naturally, having been +married so often himself, he could not refuse a certain +response to such a call upon his sympathy. "I hope you +have made a wise choice," said the experienced father, +not without a sigh; "a great deal depends upon that—not +only your own comfort, sir, but very often the character of +your children and the credit of the family. You may +laugh," said Mr Wentworth, to whom it was no laughing +matter; "but long before you are as old as I am, you will +know the truth of what I say. Your mother, Frank, was a +specimen of what a woman ought to be—not to speak of +her own children, there was nobody else who ever knew +how to manage Gerald and Jack. Of course I am not +speaking of Mrs Wentworth, who has her nursery to +occupy her," said the Squire, apologetically. "I hope you +have made a judicious choice."</p> + +<p>"I hope so, too," said Frank, who was somewhat +amused by this view of the question—"though I am not +aware of having exercised any special choice in the +matter," he added, with a laugh. "However, I want you to +come with me and see her, and then you will be able to +judge for yourself."</p> + +<p>The Squire shook his head, and looked as if he had +travelled back into the heavy roll of family distresses. "I +don't mean to upbraid you, Frank," he said—"I daresay +you have done what you thought was your duty—but I +think you might have taken a little pains to satisfy your +aunt Leonora. You see what Gerald has made of it, with +all his decorations and nonsense. That is a dreadful drawback +with you clergymen. You fix your eyes so on one +point that you get to think things important that are not in +the least important. Could you imagine a man of the world +like Jack—he is not what I could wish, but still he is a man +of the world," said the Squire, who was capable of contradicting +himself with perfect composure without knowing +it. "Can you imagine <i>him</i> risking his prospects for a bit of +external decoration? I don't mind it myself," said Mr +Wentworth, impartially—"I don't pretend to see, for my +own part, why flowers at Easter should be considered +more superstitious than holly at Christmas; but, bless my +soul, sir, when your aunt thought so, what was the good of +running right in her face for such a trifle? I never could +understand you parsons," the Squire said, with an +impatient sigh—"nobody, that I know of, ever considered +me mercenary; but to ruin your own prospects, all for a +trumpery bunch of flowers, and then to come and tell me +you want to marry—"</p> + +<p>This was before luncheon, when Frank and his father +were together in the dining-room waiting for the other +members of the family, who began to arrive at this +moment, and prevented any further discussion. After all, +perhaps, it was a little ungenerous of the Squire to press +his son so hard on the subject of those innocent Easter +lilies, long ago withered, which certainly, looked at from +this distance, did not appear important enough to sacrifice +any prospects for. This was all the harder upon the unfortunate +Curate, as even at the time his conviction of +their necessity had not proved equal to the satisfactory +settlement of the question. Miss Wentworth's cook was an +<i>artiste</i> so irreproachable that the luncheon provided was in +itself perfect; but notwithstanding it was an uncomfortable +meal. Miss Leonora, in consequence of the contest going +on in her own mind, was in an explosive and highly +dangerous condition, not safe to be spoken to; and as for +the Squire, he could not restrain the chance utterances of +his impatience. Frank, who did his best to make himself +agreeable as magnanimity required, had the mortification +of hearing himself discussed in different tones of disapprobation +while he ate his cold beef; for Mr Wentworth's +broken sentences were not long of putting the +party in possession of the new event, and the Perpetual +Curate found himself the object of many wondering and +pitying glances, in none of which could he read pure +sympathy, much less congratulation. Even Gerald looked +at him with a little elevation of his eyebrows, as if wondering +how anybody could take the trouble to occupy his +mind with such trifling temporal affairs as love and +marriage. It was a wonderful relief to the unfortunate +Curate when Miss Leonora had finished her glass of +madeira, and rose from the table. He had no inclination to +go up-stairs, for his own part. "When you are ready, sir, +you will find me in the garden," he said to his father, who +was to leave Carlingford next morning, and whom he had +set his heart on taking to see Lucy. But his walk in the +garden was far from being delightful to Frank. It even +occurred to him, for a moment, that it would be a very +good thing if a man could cut himself adrift from his +relations at such a crisis of his life. After all, it was his own +business—the act most essentially personal of his entire +existence; and then, with a little softening, he began to +think of the girls at home—of the little sister, who had a +love-story of her own; and of Letty, who was Frank's +favourite, and had often confided to him the enthusiasm +she would feel for his bride. "If she is nice," Letty was in +the habit of adding, "and of course she will be nice,"—and +at that thought the heart of the young lover escaped, and +put forth its wings, and went off into that heaven of ideal +excellence and beauty, more sweet, because more vague, +than anything real, which stands instead of the old +working-day skies and clouds at such a period of life. He +had to drop down from a great height, and get rid in all +haste of his celestial pinions, when he heard his aunt Dora +calling him; and his self-command was not sufficient to +conceal, as he obeyed that summons, a certain annoyed +expression in his face.</p> + +<p>"Frank," said Miss Dora, coming softly after him with +her handkerchief held over her head as a defence from the +sun—"oh, Frank, I want to speak to you. I couldn't say +anything at lunch because of everybody being there. If +you would only stop a moment till I get my breath. Frank, +my dear boy, I wish you joy. I do wish you joy with all my +heart. I should so like just to go and kiss her, and tell +her I shall love her for your sake."</p> + +<p>"You will soon love her for her own sake," said Frank, +to whom even this simple-minded sympathy was very +grateful; "she is a great deal better than I am."</p> + +<p>"There is just one thing," said Miss Dora. "Oh, Frank, +my dear, you know I don't pretend to be clever, like +Leonora, or able to give you advice; but there <i>is</i> one thing. +You know you have nothing to marry upon, and all has +gone wrong. You are not to have Wentworth, and you are +not to have Skelmersdale, and I think the family is going +out of its senses not to see who is the most worthy. You +have got nothing to live upon, my dear, dear boy!" said +Miss Dora, withdrawing the handkerchief from her head +in the excitement of the moment to apply it to her eyes.</p> + +<p>"That is true enough," said the Perpetual Curate; "but +then we have not made up our minds that we must marry +immediately—"</p> + +<p>"Frank," said aunt Dora, with solemnity, breaking into +his speech, "there is just <i>one</i> thing; and I can't hold my +tongue, though it may be very foolish, and they will all say +it is my fault." It was a very quiet summer-day, but still +there was a faint rustle in the branches which alarmed the +timid woman. She put her hand upon her nephew's arm, +and hastened him on to the little summer-house in the +wall, which was her special retirement. "Nobody ever +comes here," said Miss Dora; "they will never think of +looking for us here. I am sure I never interfere with +Leonora's arrangements, nor take anything upon myself; +but there is one thing, Frank—"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the Curate, "I understand what you mean: +you are going to warn me about love in a cottage, and how +foolish it would be to marry upon nothing; but, my dear +aunt, we are not going to do anything rash; there is no such +dreadful haste; don't be agitated about it," said the young +man, with a smile. He was half amused and half irritated +by the earnestness which almost took away the poor lady's +breath.</p> + +<p>"You <i>don't</i> know what I mean," said aunt Dora. "Frank, +you know very well I never interfere; but I can't help +being agitated when I see you on the brink of such a +precipice. Oh, my dear boy, don't be over-persuaded. +There <i>is</i> one thing, and I must say it if I should die." She +had to pause a little to recover her voice, for haste and +excitement had a tendency to make her inarticulate. +"Frank," said Miss Dora again, more solemnly than ever, +"whatever you may be obliged to do—though you were to +write novels, or take pupils, or do translations—oh, +Frank, don't look at me like that, as if I was going crazy. +Whatever you may have to do, oh my dear, there is one +thing—don't go and break people's hearts, and put it off, +and put it off, till it never happens!" cried the trembling +little woman, with a sudden burst of tears. "Don't say you +can wait, for you can't wait, and you oughtn't to!" sobbed +Miss Dora. She subsided altogether into her handkerchief +and her chair as she uttered this startling and wholly +unexpected piece of advice, and lay there in a little heap, +all dissolving and floating away, overcome with her great +effort, while her nephew stood looking at her from a +height of astonishment almost too extreme for wondering. +If the trees could have found a voice and counselled his +immediate marriage, he could scarcely have been more +surprised.</p> + +<p>"You think I am losing my senses too," said aunt Dora; +"but that is because you don't understand me. Oh Frank, +my dear boy, there was once a time!—perhaps everybody +has forgotten it except me, but I have not forgotten it. +They treated me like a baby, and Leonora had everything +her own way. I don't mean to say it was not for the best," +said the aggrieved woman. "I know everything is for the +best, if we could but see it: and perhaps Leonora was right +when she said I never could have struggled with—with a +family, nor lived on a poor man's income. My dear, it was +before your uncle Charley died; and when we became +rich, it—didn't matter," said Miss Dora; "it was all over +before then. Oh Frank! if I hadn't experience I wouldn't +say a word. I don't interfere about your opinions, like +Leonora. There is just <i>one</i> thing," cried the poor lady +through her tears. Perhaps it was the recollection of the +past which overcame Miss Dora, perhaps the force of +habit which had made it natural for her to cry when she +was much moved; but the fact is certain, that the Squire, +when he came to the door of the summer-house in search +of Frank, found his sister weeping bitterly, and his son +making efforts to console her, in which some sympathy +was mingled with a certain half-amusement. Frank, like +Lucy, felt tempted to laugh at the elderly romance; and +yet his heart expanded warmly to his tender little foolish +aunt, who, after all, might once have been young and in +love like himself, though it was so odd to realise it. Mr +Wentworth, for his part, saw no humour whatever in the +scene. He thought nothing less than that some fresh +complication had taken place. Jack had committed some +new enormity, or there was bad news from Charley in +Malta, or unpleasant letters had come from home. "Bless +my soul, sir, something new has happened," said the +Squire; and he was scarcely reassured, when Miss Dora +stumbled up from her chair in great confusion, and wiped +the tears from her eyes. He was suspicious of this meeting +in the summer-house, which seemed a quite unnecessary +proceeding to Mr Wentworth; and though he flattered +himself he understood women, he could not give any +reasonable explanation to himself of Dora's tears.</p> + +<p>"It is nothing—nothing at all," said Miss Dora: "it was +not Frank's doing in the least; he is always so considerate, +and such a dear fellow. Thank you, my dear boy; my head +is a little better; I think I will go in and lie down," said the +unlucky aunt. "You are not to mind me now, for I have +quite got over my little attack; I always was so nervous," +said Miss Dora; "and I sometimes wonder whether it isn't +the Wentworth complaint coming on," she added, with a +natural female artifice which was not without its effect.</p> + +<p>"I wish you would not talk nonsense," said the Squire. +"The Wentworth complaint is nothing to laugh at, but +you are perfectly aware that it never attacks women." +Mr Wentworth spoke with a little natural irritation, +displeased to have his prerogative interfered with. When +a man has all the suffering attendant upon a special +complaint, it is hard not to have all the dignity. He felt so +much and so justly annoyed by Miss Dora's vain pretensions, +that he forgot his anxiety about the secret conference +in the summer-house. "Women take such fantastic +ideas into their heads," he said to his son as they went +away together. "Your aunt Dora is the kindest soul in the +world; but now and then, sir, she is very absurd," said the +Squire. He could not get this presumptuous notion out of +his head, but returned to it again and again, even after +they had got into Grange Lane. "It has been in our family +for two hundred years," said Mr Wentworth; "and I don't +think there is a single instance of its attacking a woman—not +even slightly, sir," the Squire added, with irritation, as +if Frank had taken the part of the female members of the +family, which indeed the Curate had no thought of +doing.</p> + +<p>Miss Dora, for her part, having made this very successful +diversion, escaped to the house, and to her own room, +where she indulged in a headache all the afternoon, and +certain tender recollections which were a wonderful resource +at all times to the soft-hearted woman. "Oh, my +dear boy, don't be over-persuaded," she had whispered +into Frank's ear as she left him; and her remonstrance, +simple as it was, had no doubt produced a considerable +effect upon the mind of the Perpetual Curate. He could +not help thinking, as they emerged into the road, that it +was chiefly the impatient and undutiful who secured their +happiness. Those who were constant and patient, and able +to deny themselves, instead of being rewarded for their +higher qualities, were, on the contrary, put to the full test +of the strength that was in them; while those who would +not wait attained what they wanted, and on the whole, as +to other matters, got on just as well as their stronger-minded +neighbours. This germ of thought, it may be +supposed, was stimulated into very warm life by the +reflection that Lucy would have to leave Carlingford with +her sister, without any definite prospect of returning +again; and a certain flush of impatience came over the +young man, not unnatural in the circumstances. It seemed +to him that everybody else took their own way without +waiting; and why should it be so certain that he alone, +whose "way" implied harm to no one, should be the only +man condemned to wait? Thus it will be seen that the "just +one thing" insisted on by Miss Dora was far from being +without effect on the mind of her nephew; upon whom, +indeed, the events of the morning had wrought various +changes of sentiment. When he walked up Grange Lane +for the first time, it had been without any acknowledged +intention of opening his mind to Lucy, and yet he had +returned along the same prosaic and unsympathetic line of +road her accepted lover; her accepted lover, triumphant in +that fact, but without the least opening of any hope before +him as to the conclusion of the engagement, which prudence +had no hand in making. Now the footsteps of the +Perpetual Curate fell firmly, not to say a little +impatiently, upon the road over which he had carried so +many varying thoughts. He was as penniless as ever, and +as prospectless; but in the tossings of his natural +impatience the young man had felt the reins hang loosely +about his head, and knew that he was no more restrained +than other men, but might, if he chose it, have his way +like the rest of the world. It was true enough that he might +have to pay for it after, as other people had done; but in +the mean time the sense that he was his own master was +sweet, and to have his will for once seemed no more than +his right in the world. While these rebellious thoughts +were going on in the Curate's mind, his father, who +suspected nothing, went steadily by his side, not without a +little reluctance at the thought of the errand on which he +was bound. "But they can't marry for years, and nobody +can tell what may happen in that time," Mr Wentworth +said to himself, with the callousness of mature age, not +suspecting the different ideas that were afloat in the mind +of his son. Perhaps, on the whole, he was not sorry that +Skelmersdale was destined otherwise, and that Huxtable +had been spoken to about Wentworth Rectory; for, of +course, Frank would have plunged into marriage at once if +he had been possessed of anything to marry on; and it +looked providential under the circumstances, as the +Squire argued with himself privately, that at such a crisis +the Perpetual Curate should have fallen between two +stools of possible preferment, and should still be obliged to +content himself with St Roque's. It was hard for Mr +Wentworth to reconcile himself to the idea that the wife of +his favourite son should be the sister of—; for the Squire +forgot that his own girls were Jack Wentworth's sisters, +and as such might be objected to in their turn by some +other father. So the two gentlemen went to see Lucy, who +was then in a very humble frame of mind, just recovered +from her passion—one of them rather congratulating himself +on the obstacles which lay before the young couple, the +other tossing his youthful head a little in the first impulses +of self-will, feeling the reins lie loose upon him, and +making up his mind to have his own way.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XLV" id="CHAPTER_XLV"></a>CHAPTER XLV.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">While</span> Mr Frank Wentworth's affairs were thus gathering +to a crisis, other events likely to influence his fate were +also taking place in Carlingford. Breakfast had been +served a full half-hour later than usual in the Rectory, +which had not improved the temper of the household. +Everything was going on with the most wonderful quietness +in that well-arranged house; but it was a quietness +which would have made a sensitive visitor uncomfortable, +and which woke horrible private qualms in the mind of the +Rector. As for Mrs Morgan, she fulfilled all her duties with +a precision which was terrible to behold: instead of taking +part in the conversation as usual, and having her own +opinion, she had suddenly become possessed of such a +spirit of meekness and acquiescence as filled her husband +with dismay. The Rector was fond of his wife, and proud +of her good sense, and her judgment, and powers of +conversation. If she had been angry and found fault with +him, he might have understood that mode of procedure; +but as she was not angry, but only silent, the excellent +man was terribly disconcerted, and could not tell what to +do. He had done all he could to be conciliatory, and had +already entered upon a great many explanations which +had come to nothing for want of any response; and now +she sat at the head of the table making tea with an +imperturbable countenance, sometimes making little +observations about the news, perfectly calm and dignified, +but taking no part in anything more interesting, and +turning off any reference that was made to her in the most +skilful manner. "Mr Morgan knows I never take any part +in the gossip of Carlingford," she said to Mr Proctor, +without any intention of wounding that good man; and he +who had been in the midst of something about Mr Wentworth +came to an abrupt stop with the sense of having +shown himself as a gossip, which was very injurious to his +dignity. The late Rector, indeed, occupied a very uncomfortable +position between the married people thus +engaged in the absorbing excitement of their first quarrel. +The quiet little arrows, which Mrs Morgan intended only +for her husband, grazed and stung him as they passed, +without missing at the same time their intended aim; and +he was the auditor, besides, of a great deal of information +intended by the Rector for his wife's benefit, to which Mrs +Morgan paid no manner of attention. Mr Proctor was not a +man of very lively observation, but he could not quite shut +his eyes to the position of affairs; and the natural effect +upon his mind, in the circumstances, was to turn his +thoughts towards his mild Mary, whom he did not quite +recognise as yet under her Christian name. He called her +Miss Wodehouse in his heart even while in the act of +making comparisons very unfavourable to the Rector's +wife, and then he introduced benevolently the subject of +his new rectory, which surely must be safe ground.</p> + +<p>"It is a pretty little place," Mr Proctor said, with +satisfaction: "of course it is but a small living compared to +Carlingford. I hope you will come and see me, after—it is +furnished," said the bashful bridegroom: "it is a nuisance +to have all that to look after for one's self—"</p> + +<p>"I hope you will have somebody to help you," said Mrs +Morgan, with a little earnestness; "gentlemen don't +understand about such things. When you have one piece +of furniture in bad taste, it spoils a whole room—carpets, +for instance—" said the Rector's wife. She looked at Mr +Proctor so severely that the good man faltered, though he +was not aware of the full extent of his guiltiness.</p> + +<p>"I am sure I don't know," he said: "I told the man here +to provide everything as it ought to be; and I think we +were very successful," continued Mr Proctor, with a little +complacency: to be sure, they were in the dining-room at +the moment, being still at the breakfast-table. "Buller +knows a great deal about that sort of thing, but then he is +too ecclesiological for my taste. I like things to look +cheerful," said the unsuspicious man. "Buller is the only +man that could be reckoned on if any living were to fall +vacant. It is very odd nowadays how indifferent men are +about the Church. I don't say that it is not very pleasant at +All-Souls; but a house of one's own, you know—" said Mr +Proctor, looking with a little awkward enthusiasm at his +recently-married brother; "of course I mean a sphere—a +career—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, ah, yes," said Mr Morgan, with momentary gruffness; +"but everything has its drawbacks. I don't think +Buller would take a living. He knows too well what's +comfortable," said the suffering man. "The next living +that falls will have to go to some one out of the college," +said Mr Morgan. He spoke with a tone of importance and +significance which moved Mr Proctor, though he was not +rapid in his perceptions, to look across at him for further +information.</p> + +<p>"Most people have some crotchet or other," said the +Rector. "When a man's views are clear about subscription, +and that sort of thing, he generally goes as far wrong +the other way. Buller might go out to Central Africa, +perhaps, if there was a bishopric of Wahuma—or what is +the name, my dear, in that Nile book?"</p> + +<p>"I have not read it," said Mrs Morgan, and she made no +further remark.</p> + +<p>Thus discouraged in his little attempt at amity, the +Rector resumed after a moment, "Wentworth's brother +has sent in his resignation to his bishop. There is no doubt +about it any longer. I thought that delusion had been over, +at all events; and I suppose now Wentworth will be +provided for," said Mr Morgan, not without a little +anxiety.</p> + +<p>"No; they are all equally crotchety, I think," said Mr +Proctor. "I know about them, through my—my connection +with the Wodehouses, you know. I should not +wonder, for my own part, if he went after his brother, who +is a very intelligent man, though mistaken," the late +Rector added, with respect. "As for Frank Wentworth, he +is a little hot-headed. I had a long conversation the other +night with the elder brother. I tried to draw him out about +Burgon's book, but he declined to enter into the question. +Frank has made up his mind to stay in Carlingford. I +understand he thinks it right on account of his character +being called in question here; though, of course, no one in +his senses could have had any doubt how <i>that</i> would turn +out," said Mr Proctor, forgetting that he himself had been +very doubtful about the Curate. "From what I hear, they +are all very crotchety," he continued, and finished his +breakfast calmly, as if that settled the question. As for Mrs +Morgan, even this interesting statement had no effect +upon her. She looked up suddenly at one moment as if +intending to dart a reproachful glance at her husband, but +bethought herself in time, and remained passive as before; +not the less, however, was she moved by what she had just +heard. It was not Mr Wentworth she was thinking of, +except in a very secondary degree. What occupied her, +and made her reflections bitter, was the thought that her +husband—the man to whom she had been faithful for ten +weary years—had taken himself down off the pedestal on +which she had placed him. "To make idols, and to find +them clay," she said plaintively in her own mind. Women +were all fools to spend their time and strength in constructing +such pedestals, Mrs Morgan thought to herself with +bitterness; and as to the men who were so perpetually +dethroning themselves, how were they to be designated? +To think of her William, of whom she had once made a +hero, ruining thus, for a little petty malice and rivalry, the +prospects of another man! While these painful reflections +were going through her mind, she was putting away her +tea-caddy, and preparing to leave the gentlemen to their +own affairs. "We shall see you at dinner at six," she said, +with a constrained little smile, to Mr Proctor, and went +up-stairs with her key-basket in her hand without taking +any special notice of the Rector. Mr Leeson was to come +to dinner that day legitimately by invitation, and Mrs +Morgan, who felt it would be a little consolation to disappoint +the hungry Curate for once, was making up her +mind, as she went up-stairs, not to have the All-Souls +pudding, of which he showed so high an appreciation. It +almost seemed to her as if this spark of ill-nature was +receiving a summary chastisement, when she heard steps +ascending behind her. Mrs Morgan objected to have men +lounging about her drawing-room in the morning. She +thought Mr Proctor was coming to bestow a little more of +his confidence upon her, and perhaps to consult her about +his furnishing; and being occupied by her own troubles, +she had no patience for a tiresome, middle-aged lover, +who no doubt was going to disappoint and disenchant +another woman. She sat down, accordingly, with a sigh of +impatience at her work-table, turning her back to the +door. Perhaps, when he saw her inhospitable attitude, he +might go away and not bother her. And Mrs Morgan took +out some stockings to darn, as being a discontented +occupation, and was considering within herself what +simple preparation she could have instead of the All-Souls +pudding, when, looking up suddenly, she saw, not Mr +Proctor, but the Rector, standing looking down upon her +within a few steps of her chair. When she perceived him, +it was not in nature to refrain from certain symptoms of +agitation. The thoughts she had been indulging in brought +suddenly a rush of guilty colour to her face; but she +commanded herself as well as she could, and went on +darning her stockings, with her heart beating very loud in +her breast.</p> + +<p>"My dear," said the Rector, taking a seat near her, "I +don't know what it is that has risen between us. We +look as if we had quarrelled; and I thought we had made +up our minds never to quarrel." The words were rather +soft in their signification, but Mr Morgan could not help +speaking severely, as was natural to his voice; which was +perhaps, in the present case, all the better for his wife.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what you may consider quarrelling, +William," said Mrs Morgan, "but I am sure I have never +made any complaint."</p> + +<p>"No," said the Rector; "I have seen women do that +before. You don't make any complaint, but you look as if +you disapproved of everything. I feel it all the more just +now because I want to consult you; and, after all, the +occasion was no such—"</p> + +<p>"I never said there was any occasion. I am sure I never +made any complaint. You said you wanted to consult me, +William?" Mrs Morgan went on darning her stockings +while she was speaking, and the Rector, like most other +men, objected to be spoken to by the lips only. He would +have liked to toss the stocking out of the window, though it +was his own, and the task of repairing it was one of a +devoted wife's first duties, according to the code of female +proprieties in which both the husband and wife had been +brought up.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the Rector, with a sigh. "The truth is, I +have just got a letter from Harry Scarsfield, who was my +pet pupil long ago. He tells me my father's old rectory is +vacant, where we were all brought up. There used to be a +constant intercourse between the Hall and the Rectory +when I was a lad. They are very nice people the Scarsfields—at +least they used to be very nice people; and +Harry has his mother living with him, and the family has +never been broken up, I believe. We used to know +everybody about there," said Mr Morgan, abandoning +himself to recollections in a manner most mysterious to his +wife. "There is the letter, my dear," and he put it down +upon her table, and began to play with the reels of cotton +in her workbox unconsciously, as he had not done for a +long time; which, unawares to herself, had a softening +influence upon Mrs Morgan's heart.</p> + +<p>"I do not know anything about the Scarsfields," she +said, without taking up the letter, "and I cannot see what +you have to do with this. Does he wish you to recommend +some one?" Mrs Morgan added, with a momentary interest; +for she had, of course, like other people, a relation in a +poor living, whom it would have been satisfactory to +recommend.</p> + +<p>"He says I may have it if I have a mind," said the +Rector curtly, betraying a little aggravation in his tone.</p> + +<p>"You, William?" said Mrs Morgan. She was so much +surprised that she laid down her stocking and looked him +straight in the face, which she had not done for many +days; and it was wonderful how hard she found it to keep +up her reserve, after having once looked her husband in +the eyes. "But it is not much more than six months since +you were settled in Carlingford," she said, still lost in +amazement. "You cannot possibly mean to make a change +so soon? and then the difference of the position," said the +Rector's wife. As she looked at him, she became more and +more aware of some meaning in his face which she did not +understand; and more and more, as it became necessary to +understand him, the reserves and self-defences of the first +quarrel gave way and dispersed. "I don't think I quite +know what you mean," she said, faltering a little. "I don't +understand why you should think of a change."</p> + +<p>"A good country living is a very good position," said the +Rector; "it is not nearly so troublesome as a town like +Carlingford. There is no Dissent that I know of, and no—" +(here Mr Morgan paused for a moment, not knowing what +word to use)—"no disturbing influences: of course I would +not take such a step without your concurrence, my dear," +the Rector continued; and then there followed a bewildering +pause. Mrs Morgan's first sensation after the astonishment +with which she heard this strange proposal was +mortification—the vivid shame and vexation of a woman +when she is obliged to own to herself that her husband has +been worsted, and is retiring from the field.</p> + +<p>"If you think it right—if you think it best—of course I +can have nothing to say," said the Rector's wife; and she +took up her stocking with a stinging sense of discomfiture. +She had meant that her husband should be the first man in +Carlingford—that he should gain everybody's respect and +veneration, and become the ideal parish-priest of that +favourite and fortunate place. Every kind of good work +and benevolent undertaking was to be connected with his +name, according to the visions which Mrs Morgan had +framed when she came first to Carlingford, not without +such a participation on her own part as should entitle her +to the milder glory appertaining to the good Rector's wife. +All these hopes were now to be blotted out ignominiously. +Defeat and retreat and failure were to be the conclusion of +their first essay at life. "You are the best judge of what +you ought to do," she said, with as much calmness as she +could muster, but she could have dropped bitter tears +upon the stocking she was mending if that would have +done any good.</p> + +<p>"I will do nothing without your consent," said the +Rector. "Young Wentworth is going to stay in Carlingford. +You need not look up so sharply, as if you were +vexed to think <i>that</i> had anything to do with it. If he had +not behaved like a fool, I never could have been led into +such a mistake," said Mr Morgan, with indignation, taking +a little walk to the other end of the room to refresh +himself. "At the same time," said the Rector, severely, +coming back after a pause, "to show any ill-feeling would +be very unchristian either on your side or mine. If I were +to accept Harry Scarsfield's offer, Proctor and I would do +all we could to have young Wentworth appointed to +Carlingford. There is nobody just now at All-Souls to take +the living; and however much you may disapprove of him, +my dear," said Mr Morgan, with increasing severity, +"there is nothing that I know to be said against him as a +clergyman. If you can make up your mind to consent to it, +and can see affairs in the same light as they appear to me, +that is what I intend to do—"</p> + +<p>Mrs Morgan's stocking had dropped on her knees as she +listened; then it dropped on the floor, and she took no +notice of it. When the Rector had finally delivered himself +of his sentiments, which he did in the voice of a judge who +was condemning some unfortunate to the utmost penalties +of the law, his wife marked the conclusion of the sentence +by a sob of strange excitement. She kept gazing at him for +a few moments without feeling able to speak, and then she +put down her face into her hands. Words were too feeble +to give utterance to her feelings at such a supreme +moment. "Oh, William, I wonder if you can ever forgive +me," sobbed the Rector's wife, with a depth of compunction +which he, good man, was totally unprepared to +meet, and knew no occasion for. He was even at the +moment a little puzzled to have such a despairing petition +addressed to him. "I hope so, my dear," he said, very +sedately, as he came and sat down beside her, and could +not refrain from uttering a little lecture upon temper, +which fortunately Mrs Morgan was too much excited to +pay any attention to. "It would be a great deal better if +you did not give way to your feelings," said the Rector; +"but in the mean time, my dear, it is your advice I want, +for we must not take such a step unadvisedly," and he +lifted up the stocking that had fallen, and contemplated, +not without surprise, the emotion of his wife. The excellent +man was as entirely unconscious that he was being put up +again at that moment with acclamations upon his pedestal, +as that he had at a former time been violently displaced +from it, and thrown into the category of broken idols. All +this would have been as Sanscrit to the Rector of Carlingford; +and the only resource he had was to make in his own +mind certain half-pitying, half-affectionate remarks upon +the inexplicable weakness of women, and to pick up the +stocking which his wife was darning, and finally to stroke +her hair, which was still as pretty and soft and brown as it +had been ten years ago. Under such circumstances a man +does not object to feel himself on a platform of moral +superiority. He even began to pet her a little, with a +pleasant sense of forgiveness and forbearance. "You were +perhaps a little cross, my love, but you don't think I am +the man to be hard upon you," said the Rector. "Now you +must dry your eyes and give me your advice—you know +how much confidence I have always had in your advice—"</p> + +<p>"Forgive me, William. I don't think there is any one so +good as you are; and as long as we are together it does not +matter to me where we are," said the repentant woman. +But as she lifted up her head, her eye fell on the carpet, +and a gleam of sudden delight passed through Mrs Morgan's +mind. To be delivered from all her suspicions and injurious +thoughts about her husband would have been a deliverance +great enough for one day; but at the same happy moment +to see a means of deliverance from the smaller as well as +the greater cross of her existence seemed almost too good +to be credible. She brightened up immediately when that +thought occurred to her. "I think it is the very best thing +you could do," she said. "We are both so fond of the +country, and it is so much nicer to manage a country +parish than a town one. We might have lived all our lives +in Carlingford without knowing above half of the poor +people," said Mrs Morgan, growing in warmth as she went +on; "it is so different in a country parish. I never liked to +say anything," she continued, with subtle feminine policy, +"but I never—much—cared for Carlingford." She gave a +sigh as she spoke, for she thought of the Virginian creeper +and the five feet of new wall at that side of the garden, +which had just been completed, to shut out the view of the +train. Life does not contain any perfect pleasure. But +when Mrs Morgan stooped to lift up some stray reels of +cotton which the Rector's clumsy fingers had dropped out +of her workbox, her eye was again attracted by the gigantic +roses and tulips on the carpet, and content and satisfaction +filled her heart.</p> + +<p>"I have felt the same thing, my dear," said Mr Morgan. +"I don't say anything against Mr Finial as an architect, +but Scott himself could make nothing of such a hideous +church. I don't suppose Wentworth will mind," said the +Rector, with a curious sense of superiority. He felt his own +magnanimous conduct at the moment almost as much as +his wife had done, and could not help regarding Carlingford +Church as the gift-horse which was not to be examined too +closely in the mouth.</p> + +<p>"No," said Mrs Morgan, not without a passing sensation +of doubt on this point; "if he had only been frank and +explained everything, there never could have been any +mistake; but I am glad it has all happened," said the +Rector's wife, with a little enthusiasm. "Oh, William, I +have been such a wretch—I have been thinking—but now +you are heaping coals of fire on his head," she cried, with a +hysterical sound in her throat. It was no matter to her that +she herself scarcely knew what she meant, and that the +good Rector had not the faintest understanding of it. She +was so glad, that it was almost necessary to be guilty of +some extravagance by way of relieving her mind. "After +all Mr Proctor's care in fitting the furniture, you would +not, of course, think of removing it," said Mrs Morgan; +"Mr Wentworth will take it as we did; and as for Mrs +Scarsfield, if you like her, William, you may be sure I +shall," the penitent wife said softly, in the flutter and +tremor of her agitation. As he saw himself reflected in her +eyes, the Rector could not but feel himself a superior +person, elevated over other men's shoulders. Such a sense +of goodness promotes the amiability from which it springs. +The Rector kissed his wife as he got up from his seat +beside her, and once more smoothed down, with a touch +which made her feel like a girl again, her pretty brown +hair.</p> + +<p>"That is all settled satisfactorily," said Mr Morgan, +"and now I must go to my work again. I thought, if you +approved of it, I would write at once to Scarsfield, and also +to Buller of All-Souls."</p> + +<p>"Do," said the Rector's wife—and she too bestowed, in +her middle-aged way, a little caress, which was far from +being unpleasant to the sober-minded man. He went +down-stairs in a more agreeable frame of mind than he had +known for a long time back. Not that he understood why +she had cried about it when he laid his intentions before +her. Had Mr Morgan been a Frenchman, he probably +would have imagined his wife's heart to be touched by the +graces of the Perpetual Curate; but, being an Englishman, +and rather more certain, on the whole, of her than of +himself, it did not occur to him to speculate on the subject. +He was quite able to content himself with the thought that +women were incomprehensible, as he went back to his +study. To be sure, it was best to understand them, if you +could; but if not, it did not so very much matter, Mr +Morgan thought; could in this pleasant condition of mind he +went down-stairs and wrote a little sermon, which ever +after was a great favourite, preached upon all special +occasions, and always listened to with satisfaction, +especially by the Rector's wife.</p> + +<p>When Mrs Morgan was left alone she sat doing nothing +for an entire half-hour, thinking of the strange and +unhoped-for change that in a moment had occurred to her. +Though she was not young, she had that sense of grievousness, +the unbearableness of trouble, which belongs to +youth; for, after all, whatever female moralists may say on +the subject, the patience of an unmarried woman wearing +out her youth in the harassments of a long engagement, is +something very different from the hard and many-sided +experience of actual life. She had been accustomed for +years to think that her troubles would be over when the +long-expected event arrived; and when new and more +vexatious troubles still sprang up after that event, the +woman of one idea was not much better fitted to meet +them than if she had been a girl. Now that the momentary +cloud had been driven off, Mrs Morgan's heart rose more +warmly than ever. She changed her mind in a moment +about the All-Souls pudding, and even added, in her +imagination, another dish to the dinner, without pausing +to think that <i>that</i> also was much approved by Mr Leeson; +and then her thoughts took another turn, and such a vision +of a perfect carpet for a drawing-room—something softer +and more exquisite than ever <ins title="original reads come">came</ins> out of mortal loom; full +of repose and tranquillity, yet not without seducing beauties +of design; a carpet which would never obtrude itself, but +yet would catch the eye by dreamy moments in the +summer twilight or over the winter fire—flashed upon the +imagination of the Rector's wife. It would be sweet to +have a house of one's own arranging, where everything +would be in harmony; and though this sweetness was very +secondary to the other satisfaction of having a husband +who was not a clay idol, but really deserved his pedestal, +it yet supplemented the larger delight, and rounded off all +the corners of Mrs Morgan's present desires. She wished +everybody as happy as herself, in the effusion of the +moment, and thought of Lucy Wodehouse, with a little +glow of friendliness in which there was still a tincture of +admiring envy. All this that happy girl would have without +the necessity of waiting for it; but then was it not the +Rector, the rehabilitated husband, who would be the +means of producing so much happiness? Mrs Morgan rose +up as lightly as a girl when she had reached this stage, and +opened her writing-desk, which was one of her wedding-presents, +and too fine to be used on common occasions. +She took out her prettiest paper, with her monogram in +violet, which was her favourite colour. One of those kind +impulses which are born of happiness moved her relieved +spirit. To give to another the consolation of a brighter +hope, seemed at the moment the most natural way of +expressing her own thankful feelings. Instead of going +down-stairs immediately to order dinner, she sat down +instead at the table, and wrote the following note:—</p> +<p> +"<span class="smallcaps">My dear Mr Wentworth</span>,—I don't know whether +you will think me a fair-weather friend seeking you only +when everybody else is seeking you, and when you are no +longer in want of support and sympathy. Perhaps you will +exculpate me when you remember the last conversation +we had; but what I write for at present is to ask if you +would waive ceremony and come to dinner with us +to-night. I am aware that your family are still in Carlingford, +and of course I don't know what engagements you may +have; but if you are at liberty, pray come. If Mr Morgan +and you had but known each other a little better things +could never have happened which have been a great grief +and vexation to me; and I know the Rector <i>wishes very +much</i> to have a little conversation with you, and has +something to speak of in which you would be interested. +Perhaps my husband might feel a little strange in asking +you to overstep the barrier which somehow has been +raised between you two; but I am sure if you knew each +other better you would understand each other, and this is +one of the things we women ought to be good for. I will +take it as a proof that you consider me a friend if you +accept my invitation. Our hour is half-past six.—Believe +me, very sincerely, yours,</p> + +<p class="right">"<span class="smallcaps">M. Morgan</span>."</p> + +<p>When she had written this note Mrs Morgan went +down-stairs, stopping at the library door in passing. "I +thought I might as well ask Mr Wentworth to come to us +to-night, as we are to have some people to dinner," she +said, looking in at the door. "I thought you might like to +talk to him, William; and if his people are going away +to-day, I daresay he will feel rather lonely to-night." Such +was the Jesuitical aspect in which she represented the flag +of truce she was sending. Mr Morgan was a little startled +by action so prompt.</p> + +<p>"I should like to hear from Buller first," said the Rector; +"he might like to come to Carlingford himself, for anything +I can tell; but, to be sure, it can do no harm to have +Wentworth to dinner," said Mr Morgan, doubtfully; "only +Buller, you know, might wish—and in that case it might not +be worth our trouble to make any change."</p> + +<p>In spite of herself, Mrs Morgan's countenance fell; her +pretty scheme of poetic justice, her vision of tasteful and +appropriate furniture, became obscured by a momentary +mist. "At least it is only right to ask him to dinner," she +said, in subdued tones, and went to speak to the cook in a +frame of mind more like the common level of human +satisfaction than the exultant and exalted strain to which +she had risen at the first moment. Then she put on a black +dress, and went to call on the Miss Wodehouses, who +naturally came into her mind when she thought of the +Perpetual Curate. As she went along Grange Lane she +could not but observe a hackney cab, one of those which +belong to the railway station, lounging—if a cab could +ever be said to lounge—in the direction of Wharfside. Its +appearance specially attracted Mrs Morgan's attention +in consequence of the apparition of Elsworthy's favourite +errand-boy, who now and then poked his head furtively +through the window, and seemed to be sitting in state +inside. When she had gone a little further she encountered +Wodehouse and Jack Wentworth, who had just come from +paying their visit to the sisters. The sight of these two +revived her sympathies for the lonely women who had +fallen so unexpectedly out of wealth into poverty; but yet +she felt a little difficulty in framing her countenance to be +partly sorrowful and partly congratulatory, as was +necessary under these circumstances; for though she knew +nothing of the accident which had happened that morning, +when Lucy and the Perpetual Curate saw each other +alone, she was aware of Miss Wodehouse's special position, +and was sympathetic as became a woman who had "gone +through" similar experiences. When she had got through +her visit and was going home, it struck her with considerable +surprise to see the cab still lingering about the corner of +Prickett's Lane. Was Elsworthy's pet boy delivering his +newspapers from that dignified elevation? or were they +seizing the opportunity of conveying away the unfortunate +little girl who had caused so much annoyance to everybody? +When she went closer, with a little natural curiosity to see +what else might be inside besides the furtive errand-boy, +the cab made a little rush away from her, and the blinds +were drawn down. Mrs Morgan smiled a little to herself +with dignified calm. "As if it was anything to me!" she said +to herself; and so went home to put out the dessert with +her own hands. She even cut a few fronds of her favourite +maidenhair to decorate the peaches, of which she could +not help being a little proud. "I must speak to Mr +Wentworth, if he comes, to keep on Thompson," she said +to herself, and then gave a momentary sigh at the thought +of the new flue, which was as good as her own invention, +and which it had cost her both time and money to arrange to +her satisfaction. The peaches were lovely, but who could +tell what they might be next year if a new Rector came +who took no interest in the garden?—for <ins title="original reads Thomson">Thompson</ins>, +though he was a very good servant, required to be looked +after, as indeed most good servants do. Mrs Morgan +sighed a little when she thought of all her past exertions +and the pains, of which she was scarcely yet beginning to +reap the fruit. One man labours, and another enters into +his labours. One thing, however, was a little consolatory, +that she could take her ferns with her. But on the whole, +after the first outburst of feeling, the idea of change, +notwithstanding all its advantages, was in itself, like most +human things, a doubtful pleasure. To be sure, it was only +through its products that her feelings were interested +about the new flue, whereas the drawing-room carpet was +a standing grievance. When it was time to dress for +dinner, the Rector's wife was not nearly so sure as before +that she had never liked Carlingford. She began to forget +the thoughts she had entertained about broken idols, and +to remember a number of inconveniences attending a +removal. Who would guarantee the safe transit of the +china, not to speak of the <i>old</i> china, which was one of the +most valuable decorations of the Rectory? This kind of +breakage, if not more real, was at least likely to force itself +more upon the senses than the other kind of fracture +which this morning's explanation had happily averted; +and altogether it was with mingled feelings that Mrs +Morgan entered the drawing-room, and found it occupied +by Mr Leeson, who always came too early, and who, on the +present occasion, had some sufficiently strange news to tell.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XLVI" id="CHAPTER_XLVI"></a>CHAPTER XLVI.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Mr Wentworth</span> did not accept Mrs Morgan's sudden +invitation, partly because his "people" did not leave +Carlingford that evening, and partly because, though +quite amiably disposed towards the Rector, whom he had +worsted in fair fight, he was not sufficiently interested in +anything he was likely to hear or see in Mr Morgan's +house to move him to spend his evening there. He returned +a very civil answer to the invitation of the Rector's wife, +thanking her warmly for her friendliness, and explaining +that he could not leave his father on the last night of his +stay in Carlingford; after which he went to dinner at his +aunts', where the household was still much agitated. Not +to speak of all the events which had happened and were +happening, Jack, who had begun to tire of his new +character of the repentant prodigal, had shown himself in +a new light that evening, and was preparing to leave, to +the relief of all parties. The prodigal, who no longer +pretended to be penitent, had taken the conversation into +his own hands at dinner. "I have had things my own way +since I came here," said Jack; "somehow it appears I have +a great luck for having things my own way. It is you +scrupulous people who think of others and of such antiquated +stuff as duty, and so forth, that get yourselves into +difficulties. My dear aunt, I am going away; if I were to +remain an inmate of this house—I mean to say, could I +look forward to the privilege of continuing a member of +this Christian family—another day, I should know better +how to conduct myself; but I am going back to my bad +courses, aunt Dora; I am returning to the world—"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Jack, my dear, I hope not," said aunt Dora, who +was much bewildered, and did not know what to say.</p> + +<p>"Too true," said the relapsed sinner; "and considering +all the lessons you have taught me, don't you think it is the +best thing I could do? There is my brother Frank, who has +been carrying other people about on his shoulders, and +doing his duty; but I don't see that you good people are at +all moved in his behalf. You leave him to fight his way by +himself, and confer your benefits elsewhere, which is an +odd sort of lesson for a worldling like me. As for Gerald, +you know he's a virtuous fool, as I have heard you all +declare. There is nothing in the world that I can see to +prevent him keeping his living and doing as he pleases, as +most parsons do. However, that's his own business. It is +Frank's case which is the edifying case to me. If my +convictions of sin had gone just a step farther," said the +pitiless critic, "if I had devoted myself to bringing others +to repentance, as is the first duty of a reformed sinner, my +aunt Leonora would not have hesitated to give +Skelmersdale to me—"</p> + +<p>"Jack, hold your tongue," said Miss Leonora; but though +her cheeks burned, her voice was not so firm as usual, and +she actually failed in putting down the man who had +determined to have his say.</p> + +<p>"Fact, my dear aunt," said Jack; "if I had been a +greater rascal than I am, and gone a little farther, you and +your people would have thought me quite fit for a cure of +souls. I'd have come in for your good things that way as +well as other ways; but here is Frank, who even I can see +is a right sort of parson. I don't pretend to fixed theological +opinions," said this unlooked-for oracle, with a comic +glance aside at Gerald, the most unlikely person present +to make any response; "but, so far as I can see, he's a kind +of fellow most men would be glad to make a friend of when +they were under a cloud—not that he was ever very civil +to me. I tell you, so far from rewarding him for being of +the true sort, you do nothing but snub him, that I can see. +He looks to me as good for work as any man I know; but +you'll give your livings to any kind of wretched make-believe +before you'll give them to Frank. I am aware," +said the heir of the Wentworths, with a momentary flush, +"that I have never been considered much of a credit to the +family; but if I were to announce my intention of marrying +and settling, there is not one of the name that would not +lend a hand to smooth matters. That is the reward of +wickedness," said Jack, with a laugh; "as for Frank, he's a +perpetual curate, and may marry perhaps fifty years +hence; that's the way you good people treat a man who +never did anything to be ashamed of in his life; and you +expect me to give up my evil courses after such a lesson? I +trust I am not such a fool," said the relapsed prodigal. He +sat looking at them all in his easy way, enjoying the +confusion, the indignation, and wrath with which his +address was received. "The man who gets his own way is +the man who takes it," he concluded, with his usual +composure, pouring out Miss Leonora's glass of claret as +he spoke.</p> + +<p>Nobody had ever before seen the strong-minded +woman in so much agitation. "Frank knows what my +feelings are," she said, abruptly. "I have a great respect +for himself, but I have no confidence in his principles. I—I +have explained my ideas about Church patronage—"</p> + +<p>But here the Squire broke in. "I always said, sir," said +the old man, with an unsteady voice, "that if I ever lived +to see a thing or two amended that was undoubtedly +objectionable, your brother Jack's advice would be invaluable +to the family as a—as a man of the world. I have +nothing to say against clergymen, sir," continued the Squire, +without it being apparent whom he was addressing, "but I +have always expressed my conviction of—of the value of +your brother Jack's advice as—as a man of the world."</p> + +<p>This speech had a wonderful effect upon the assembled +family, but most of all upon the son thus commended, who +lost all his ease and composure as his father spoke, and +turned his head stiffly to one side, as if afraid to meet the +Squire's eyes, which indeed were not seeking his, but +were fixed upon the table, as was natural, considering the +state of emotion in which Mr Wentworth was. As for Jack, +when he had steadied himself a little, he got up from his +seat and tried to laugh, though the effort was far from +being a successful one.</p> + +<p>"Even my father applauds me, you see, because I am a +scamp and don't deserve it," he said, with a voice which +was partially choked. "Good-bye, sir; I am going away."</p> + +<p>The Squire rose too, with the hazy bewildered look of +which his other children were afraid.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, sir," said the old man, and then made a +pause before he held out his hand. "You'll not forget what +I've said, Jack," he added, with a little haste. "It's true +enough, though I haven't that confidence in you that—that +I might have had. I am getting old, and I have had +two attacks, sir," said Mr Wentworth, with dignity; "and +anyhow, I can't live for ever. Your brothers can make +their own way in the world, but I haven't saved all that I +could have wished. When I am gone, Jack, be just to the +girls and the little children," said the Squire; and with that +took his son's hand and grasped it hard, and looked his +heir full in the face.</p> + +<p>Jack Wentworth was not prepared for any such appeal; +he was still less prepared to discover the unexpected and +inevitable sequence with which one good sentiment leads to +another. He quite faltered and broke down in this +unlooked-for emergency. "Father," he said unawares, for +the first time for ten years, "if you wish it, I will join you +in breaking the entail."</p> + +<p>"No such thing, sir," said the Squire, who, so far from +being pleased, was irritated and disturbed by the proposal. +"I ask you to do your duty, sir, and not to shirk it," the +head of the house said, with natural vehemence, as he +stood with that circle of Wentworths round him, giving +forth his code of honour to his unworthy heir.</p> + +<p>While his father was speaking, Jack recovered a little +from his momentary <i>attendrissement</i>. "Good-bye, sir; I +hope you'll live a hundred years," he said, wringing his +father's hand, "if you don't last out half-a-dozen of me, as +you ought to do. But I'd rather not anticipate such a +change. In that case," the prodigal went on with a certain +huskiness in his voice, "I daresay I should not turn out so +great a rascal as—as I ought to do. To-day and yesterday it +has even occurred to me by moments that I was your son, +sir," said Jack Wentworth; and then he made an abrupt +stop and dropped the Squire's hand, and came to himself +in a surprising way. When he turned towards the rest of +the family, he was in perfect possession of his usual +courtesy and good spirits. He nodded to them all round—with +superb good-humour. "Good-bye, all of you; I wish +you better luck, Frank, and not so much virtue. Perhaps +you will have a better chance now the lost sheep has gone +back to the wilderness. Good-bye to you all. I don't think +I've any other last words to say." He lighted his cigar with +his ordinary composure in the hall, and whistled one of his +favourite airs as he went through the garden. "Oddly +enough, however, our friend Wodehouse can beat me in +that," he said, with a smile, to Frank, who had followed +him out, "perhaps in other things too, who knows? +Good-bye, and good-luck, old fellow." And thus the heir of +the Wentworths disappeared into the darkness, which +swallowed him up, and was seen no more.</p> + +<p>But naturally there was a good deal of commotion in the +house. Miss Leonora, who never had known what it was to +have nerves in the entire course of her existence, retired +to her own room with a headache, to the entire consternation +of the family. She had been a strong-minded woman +all her life, and managed everybody's affairs without +being distracted and hampered in her career by those +doubts of her own wisdom, and questions as to her own +motives, which will now and then afflict the minds of +weaker people when they have to decide for others. But +this time an utterly novel and unexpected accident had +befallen Miss Leonora; a man of no principles at all had +delivered his opinion upon her conduct—and so far from +finding his criticism contemptible, or discovering in it the +ordinary outcry of the wicked against the righteous, she +had found it true, and by means of it had for perhaps the +first time in her life seen herself as others saw her. Neither +was the position in which she found herself one from which +she could get extricated even by any daring arbitrary +exertion of will, such as a woman in difficulties is sometimes +capable of. To be sure, she might still have cut the +knot in a summary feminine way; might have said "No" +abruptly to Julia Trench and her curate, and, after all, +have bestowed Skelmersdale, like any other prize or +reward of virtue, upon her nephew Frank—a step which +Miss Dora Wentworth would have concluded upon at once +without any hesitation. The elder sister, however, was +gifted with a truer perception of affairs. Miss Leonora +knew that there were some things which could be done, +and yet could not be done—a piece of knowledge difficult +to a woman. She recognised the fact that she had committed +herself, and got into a corner from which there was but +one possible egress; and as she acknowledged this to +herself, she saw at the same time that Julia Trench (for +whom she had been used to entertain a good-humoured +contempt as a clever sort of girl enough) had managed +matters very cleverly, and that, instead of dispensing her +piece of patronage like an optimist to the best, she had, in +fact, given it up to the most skilful and persevering angler, +as any other woman might have done. The blow was +bitter, and Miss Leonora did not seek to hide it from +herself, not to say that the unpleasant discovery was +aggravated by having been thus pointed out by Jack, who +in his own person had taken her in, and cheated his +sensible aunt. She felt humbled, and wounded in the +tenderest point, to think that her reprobate nephew had +seen through her, but that she had not been able to see +through him, and had been deceived by his professions of +penitence. The more she turned it over in her mind, the +more Miss Leonora's head ached; for was it not growing +apparent that she, who prided herself so much on her +impartial judgment, had been moved, not by heroic and +stoical justice and the love of souls, but a good deal by +prejudice and a good deal by skilful artifice, and very little +indeed by that highest motive which she called the glory +of God? And it was Jack who had set all this before her +clear as daylight. No wonder the excellent woman was +disconcerted. She went to bed gloomily with her headache, +and would tolerate no ministrations, neither of sal-volatile +nor eau-de-Cologne, nor even of green tea. "It always does +Miss Dora a power of good," said the faithful domestic +who made this last suggestion; but Miss Leonora answered +only by turning the unlucky speaker out of the room, and +locking the door against any fresh intrusion. Miss Dora's +innocent headaches were articles of a very different kind +from this, which proceeded neither from the heart nor the +digestion, but from the conscience, as Miss Leonora +thought—with, possibly, a little aid from the temper, +though she was less conscious of that. It was indeed a long +series of doubts and qualms, and much internal conflict, +which resulted through the rapidly-maturing influences of +mortification and humbled self-regard, in this ominous and +awe-inspiring Headache which startled the entire +assembled family, and added fresh importance to the +general crisis of Wentworth affairs.</p> + +<p>"I should not wonder if it was the Wentworth complaint," +said Miss Dora, with a sob of fright, to the renewed and +increased indignation of the Squire.</p> + +<p>"I have already told you that the Wentworth complaint +never attacks females," Mr Wentworth said emphatically, +glad to employ what sounded like a contemptuous title for +the inferior sex.</p> + +<p>"Yes, oh yes; but then Leonora is not exactly what +you would call—a female," said poor Miss Dora, from +whom an emergency so unexpected had taken all her little +wits.</p> + +<p>While the house was in such an agitated condition, it is +not to be supposed that it could be very comfortable for +the gentlemen when they came up-stairs to the drawing-room, +and found domestic sovereignty overthrown by a +headache which nobody could comprehend, and chaos +reigning in Miss Leonora's place. Naturally there was, for +one of the party at least, a refuge sweet and close at hand, +to which his thoughts had escaped already. Frank Wentworth +did not hesitate to follow his thoughts. Against the +long years when family bonds make up all that is happiest +in life, there must always be reckoned those moments of +agitation and revolution, during which the bosom of a +family is the most unrestful and disturbing place in existence, +from which it is well to have a personal refuge and +means of escape. The Perpetual Curate gave himself a +little shake, and drew a long breath, as he emerged from +one green door in Grange Lane and betook himself to +another. He shook himself clear of all the Wentworth +perplexities, all the family difficulties and doubts, and +betook himself into the paradise which was altogether his +own, and where there were no conflicting interests or +differences of opinion. He was in such a hurry to get there +that he did not pay any attention to the general aspect of +Grange Lane, or to the gossips who were gathered round +Elsworthy's door: all that belonged to a previous stage of +existence. At present he was full of the grand discovery, +boldly stated by his brother Jack—"The man who gets his +own way is the man who <i>takes</i> it." It was not an elevated +doctrine, or one that had hitherto commended itself +specially to the mind of the Perpetual Curate; but he could +not help thinking of his father's pathetic reliance upon +Jack's advice as a man of the world, as he laid up in his +mind the prodigal's maxim, and felt, with a little thrill of +excitement, that he was about to act on it; from which +manner of stating the case Mr Wentworth's friends will +perceive that self-will had seized upon him in the worst +form; for he was not going boldly up to the new resolution +with his eyes open, but had resigned himself to the tide, +which was gradually rising in one united flux of love, +pride, impatience, sophistry, and inclination; which he +watched with a certain passive content, knowing that the +stormy current would carry him away.</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth, however, reckoned without his host, as +is now and then the case with most men, Perpetual +Curates included. He walked into the other drawing-room, +which was occupied only by two ladies, where the +lamp was burning softly on the little table in the corner, +and the windows, half open, admitted the fragrant air, the +perfumed breath and stillness and faint inarticulate noises +of the night. Since the visit of Wodehouse in the morning, +which had driven Lucy into her first fit of passion, an +indescribable change had come over the house, which had +now returned to the possession of its former owners, and +looked again like home. It was very quiet in the familiar +room which Mr Wentworth knew so well, for it was only +when excited by events "beyond their control," as Miss +Wodehouse said, that the sisters could forget what had +happened so lately—the loss which had made a revolution +in their world. Miss Wodehouse, who for the first time in +her life was busy, and had in hand a quantity of mysterious +calculations and lists to make out, sat at the table in +the centre of the room, with her desk open, and covered +with long slips of paper. Perhaps it was to save her Rector +the trouble that the gentle woman gave herself so much +labour; perhaps she liked putting down on paper all the +things that were indispensable for the new establishment. +At all events, she looked up only to give Mr Wentworth a +smile and sisterly nod of welcome as he came in and made +his way to the corner where Lucy sat, not unexpectant. +Out of the disturbed atmosphere he had just left, the +Perpetual Curate came softly into that familiar corner, +feeling that he had suddenly reached his haven, and that +Eden itself could not have possessed a sweeter peace. +Lucy in her black dress, with traces of the exhaustion of +nature in her face, which was the loveliest face in the +world to Mr Wentworth, looked up and welcomed him +with that look of satisfaction and content which is the +highest compliment one human creature can pay to +another. His presence rounded off all the corners of existence +to Lucy for that moment at least, and made the world +complete and full. He sat down beside her at her work-table +with no further interruption to the <i>tête-à-tête</i> than the +presence of the kind elder sister at the table, who was +absorbed in her lists, and who, even had that pleasant +business been wanting, was dear and familiar enough to +both to make her spectatorship just the sweet restraint +which endears such intercourse all the more. Thus the +Perpetual Curate seated himself, feeling in some degree +master of the position; and surely here, if nowhere else in +the world, the young man was justified in expecting to +have his own way.</p> + +<p>"They have settled about their marriage," said Lucy, +whose voice was sufficiently audible to be heard at the +table, where Miss Wodehouse seized her pen hastily and +plunged it into the ink, doing her best to appear unconscious, +but failing sadly in the attempt. "Mr Proctor is +going away directly to make everything ready, and the +marriage is to be on the 15th of next month."</p> + +<p>"And ours?" said Mr Wentworth, who had not as yet +approached that subject. Lucy knew that this event must +be far off, and was not agitated about it as yet; on the +contrary, she met his look sympathetically and with +deprecation after the first natural blush, and soothed him +in her feminine way, patting softly with her pretty hand +the sleeve of his coat.</p> + +<p>"Nobody knows," said Lucy. "We must wait, and have +patience. We have more time to spare than they have," +she added, with a little laugh. "We must wait."</p> + +<p>"I don't see the <i>must</i>," said the Perpetual Curate. "I +have been thinking it all over since the morning. I see no +reason why I should always have to give in, and wait; self-sacrifice +is well enough when it can't be helped, but I don't +see any reason for postponing my happiness indefinitely. +Look here, Lucy. It appears to me at present that there +are only two classes of people in the world—those who will +wait, and those who won't. I don't mean to enrol myself +among the martyrs. The man who gets his own way is the +man who takes it. I don't see any reason in the world for +concluding that I <i>must</i> wait."</p> + +<p>Lucy Wodehouse was a very good young woman, a +devoted Anglican, and loyal to all her duties; but she had +always been known to possess a spark of spirit, and this +rebellious quality came to a sudden blaze at so unlooked-for +a speech. "Mr Wentworth," said Lucy, looking the +Curate in the face with a look which was equivalent to +making him a low curtsy, "I understood there were two +people to be consulted as to the must or must not;" and +having entered this protest, she withdrew her chair a little +farther off, and bestowed her attention absolutely upon +the piece of needlework in her hand.</p> + +<p>If the ground had suddenly been cut away underneath +Frank Wentworth's feet, he could not have been more +surprised; for, to tell the truth, it had not occurred to him +to doubt that he himself was the final authority on this +point, though, to be sure, it was part of the conventional +etiquette that the lady should "fix the day." He sat +gazing at her with so much surprise that for a minute or +two he could say nothing. "Lucy, I am not going to have +you put yourself on the other side," he said at last; "there +is not to be any opposition between you and me."</p> + +<p>"That is as it may be," said Lucy, who was not mollified. +"You seem to have changed your sentiments altogether +since the morning, and there is no change in the +circumstances, at least that I can see."</p> + +<p>"Yes, there is a great change," said the young man. "If I +could have sacrificed myself in earnest and said nothing—"</p> + +<p>"Which you were quite free to do," interrupted Lucy, +who, having given way to temper once to-day, found in +herself an alarming proclivity towards a repetition of the +offence.</p> + +<p>"Which I was quite free to do," said the Perpetual +Curate, with a smile, "but could not, and did not, all the +same. Things are altogether changed. Now, be as cross as +you please, you belong to me, <i>Lucia mia</i>. To be sure, I +have no money—"</p> + +<p>"I was not thinking of that," said the young lady, under +her breath.</p> + +<p>"Of course one has to think about it," said Mr Wentworth; +"but the question is, whether we shall be happier +and better going on separate in our usual way, or making +up our minds to give up something for the comfort of being +together. Perhaps you will forgive me for taking <i>that</i> view +of the question," said the Curate, with a little enthusiasm. +"I have got tired of ascetic principles. I don't see why it +must be best to deny myself and postpone myself to other +things and other people. I begin to be of my brother Jack's +opinion. The children of this world are wiser in their +generation than the children of light. A man who will wait +has to wait. Providence does not invariably reward him +after he has been tried, as we used to suppose. I am +willing to be a poor man because I can't help it; but I am +not willing to wait and trust my happiness to the future +when it is in my reach now," said the unreasonable young +man, to whom it was of course as easy as it was to Lucy to +change the position of his chair, and prevent the distance +between them being increased. Perhaps he might have +carried his point even at that moment, had not Miss +Wodehouse, who had heard enough to alarm her, come +forward hastily in a fright on the prudential side.</p> + +<p>"I could not help hearing what you were saying," said +the elder sister. "Oh, Mr Wentworth, I hope you don't +mean to say that you can't trust Providence? I am sure +that is not Lucy's way of thinking. I would not mind, and I +am sure she would not mind, beginning very quietly; but +then you have nothing, next to nothing, neither of you. It +might not matter, just at the first," said Miss Wodehouse, +with serious looks; "but then—afterwards, you know," +and a vision of a nursery flashed upon her mind as she +spoke. "Clergymen always have such large families," she +said half out before she was aware, and stopped, covered +with confusion, not daring to look at Lucy to see what +effect such a suggestion might have had upon her. "I +mean," cried Miss Wodehouse, hurrying on to cover over +her inadvertence if possible, "I have seen such cases; and +a poor clergyman who has to think of the grocer's bill and +the baker's bill instead of his parish and his duty—there +are some things you young people know a great deal +better than I do, but you don't know how dreadful it is to +see that."</p> + +<p>Here Lucy, on her part, was touched on a tender point, +and interposed. "For a man to be teased about bills," said +the young housekeeper, with flushed cheeks and an averted +countenance, "it must be not his poverty, but his—his +wife's fault."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Lucy, don't say so," cried Miss Wodehouse; "what +is a poor woman to do, especially when she has no money +of her own, as you wouldn't have? and then the struggling, +and getting old before your time, and all the burdens—"</p> + +<p>"Please don't say any more," said Lucy; "there was no +intention on—on any side to drive things to a decision. As +for me, I have not a high opinion of myself. I would not be +the means of diminishing anyone's comforts," said the +spiteful young woman. "How can I be sure that I might +not turn out a very poor compensation? We settled this +morning how all that was to be, and I for one have not +changed my mind—as yet," said Lucy. That was all the +encouragement Mr Wentworth got when he propounded +his new views. Things looked easy enough when he was +alone, and suffered himself to drift on pleasantly on the +changed and heightened current of personal desires and +wishes; but it became apparent to him, after that evening's +discussion, that even in Eden itself, though the dew +had not yet dried on the leaves, it would be highly +incautious for any man to conclude that he was sure of +having his own way. The Perpetual Curate returned a +sadder and more doubtful man to Mrs Hadwin's, to his +own apartments; possibly, as the two states of mind so +often go together, a wiser individual too.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XLVII" id="CHAPTER_XLVII"></a>CHAPTER XLVII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">The</span> dinner-party at the Rectory, to which Mr Wentworth +did not go, was much less interesting and agreeable than it +might have been had he been present. As for the Rector +and his wife, they could not but feel themselves in a +somewhat strange position, having between them a secret +unsuspected by the company. It was difficult to refrain +from showing a certain flagging of interest in the question +of the church's restoration, about which, to be sure, Mr +Finial was just as much concerned as he had been yesterday; +though Mr Morgan, and even Mrs Morgan, had +suffered a great and unexplainable diminution of enthusiasm. +And then Mr Leeson, who was quite unaware of the +turn that things had taken, and who was much too obtuse +to understand how the Rector could be anything but +exasperated against the Perpetual Curate by the failure of +the investigation, did all that he could to make himself +disagreeable, which was saying a good deal. When Mrs +Morgan came into the drawing-room, and found this +obnoxious individual occupying the most comfortable easy-chair, +and turning over at his ease the great book of ferns, +nature-printed, which was the pet decoration of the table, +her feelings may be conceived by any lady who has gone +through a similar trial; for Mr Leeson's hands were not of +the irreproachable purity which becomes the fingers of a +gentleman when he goes out to dinner. "I know some +people who always wear gloves when they turn over a +portfolio of prints," Mrs Morgan said, coming to the +Curate's side to protect her book if possible, "and these +require quite as much care;" and she had to endure a +discussion upon the subject, which was still more trying to +her feelings, for Mr Leeson pretended to know about ferns +on the score of having a Wardian case in his lodgings +(which belonged to his landlady), though in reality he +could scarcely tell the commonest spleenwort from a lycopodium. +While Mrs Morgan went through this trial, it is +not to be wondered at if she hugged to her heart the new +idea of leaving Carlingford, and thought to herself that +whatever might be the character of the curate (if there was +one) at Scarsfield, any change from Mr Leeson must be for +the better. And then the unfortunate man, as if he was not +disagreeable enough already, began to entertain his unwilling +hostess with the latest news.</p> + +<p>"There is quite a commotion in Grange Lane," said Mr +Leeson. "Such constant disturbances must deteriorate +the property, you know. Of course, whatever one's opinion +may be, one must keep it to one's self, after the result +of the investigation; though I can't say <i>I</i> have unbounded +confidence in trial by jury," said the disagreeable young +man.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid I am very slow of comprehension," said the +Rector's wife. "I don't know in the least what you mean +about trial by jury. Perhaps it would be best to put the +book back on the table; it is too heavy for you to hold."</p> + +<p>"Oh, it doesn't matter," said Mr Leeson—"I mean +about Wentworth, of course. When a man is popular in +society, people prefer to shut their eyes. I suppose the +matter is settled for the present, but you and I know +better than to believe—"</p> + +<p>"I beg you will speak for yourself, Mr Leeson," said Mrs +Morgan, with dignity. "I have always had the highest +respect for Mr Wentworth."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I beg your pardon," said the disagreeable Curate. +"I forgot; almost all the ladies are on Mr Wentworth's +side. It appears that little girl of Elsworthy's has disappeared +again; that was all I was going to say."</p> + +<p>And, fortunately for the Curate, Colonel Chiley, who +entered the room at the moment, diverted from him the +attention of the lady of the house; and after that there was +no opportunity of broaching the subject again until dinner +was almost over. Then it was perhaps the All-Souls pudding +that warmed Mr Leeson's soul; perhaps he had taken +a little more wine than usual. He took sudden advantage +of that curious little pause which occurs at a well-conducted +dinner-table, when the meal is concluded, and the +fruit (considered apparently, in orthodox circles, a paradisiacal +kind of food which needs no blessing) alone +remains to be discussed. As soon as the manner of thanks +from the foot of the table was over, the Curate incautiously +rushed in before anybody else could break the silence, and +delivered his latest information at a high pitch of voice.</p> + +<p>"Has anyone heard about the Elsworthys?" said Mr +Leeson; "something fresh has happened there. I hope +your verdict yesterday will not be called in question. The +fact is, I believe that the girl has been taken away again. +They say she has gone and left a letter saying that she is to +be made a lady of. I don't know what we are to understand +by that. There was some private service or other +going on at St Roque's very early in the morning. +Marriage is a sacrament, you know. Perhaps Mr Wentworth +or his brother—"</p> + +<p>"They are a queer family, the Wentworths," said old +Mr Western, "and such lots of them, sir—such lots of +them. The old ladies seem to have settled down here. I am +not of their way of thinking, you know, but they're very +good to the poor."</p> + +<p>"Mr Frank Wentworth is going to succeed his brother, I +suppose," said Mr Leeson; "it is very lucky for a man who +gets himself talked of to have a family living to fall back +upon—"</p> + +<p>"No such thing—no such thing," said Mr Proctor, +hastily. "Mr Frank Wentworth means to stay here."</p> + +<p>"Dear me!" said the disagreeable Curate, with an elaborate +pause of astonishment. "Things must be bad indeed," +added that interesting youth, with solemnity, +shaking the devoted head, upon which he did not know +that Mrs Morgan had fixed her eyes, "if his own family +give him up, and leave him to starve here. They would +never give him up if they had not very good cause. Oh, +come; I shouldn't like to believe that! <i>I</i> know how much a +curate has to live on," said Mr Leeson, with a smile of +engaging candour. "Before they give him up like that, +with two livings in the family, they must have very good +cause."</p> + +<p>"Very good cause indeed," said Mrs Morgan, from the +head of the table. The company in general had, to tell the +truth, been a little taken aback by the Curate's observations; +and there was almost the entire length of the table +between the unhappy man and the Avenger. "So good a +reason, that it is strange how it should not have occurred +to a brother clergyman. That is the evil of a large parish," +said the Rector's wife, with beautiful simplicity; "however +hard one works, one never can know above half of the +poor people; and I suppose you have been occupied in the +other districts, and have not heard what a great work Mr +Wentworth is doing. I have reason to know," said Mrs +Morgan, with considerable state, "that he will remain in +Carlingford, in a very different position from that which +he has filled hitherto. Mr Leeson knows how much a +curate has to live upon, but I am afraid that is all he does +know of such a life as Mr Wentworth's." Mrs Morgan +paused for a moment to get breath, for her excitement was +considerable, and she had many wrongs to avenge. +"There is a great deal of difference in curates as well as in +other things," said the indignant woman. "I have reason +to know that Mr Wentworth will remain in Carlingford in +quite a different position. Now and then, even in this +world, things come right like a fairy tale—that is, when +the authority is in the right hands;" the Rector's wife went +on, with a smile at her husband, which disarmed that +astonished man. "Perhaps if Mr Leeson had the same +inducement as Mr Wentworth, he too would make up his +mind to remain in Carlingford." Mrs Morgan got up, as +she made this speech, with a rustle and sweep of drapery +which seemed all addressed to the unhappy Curate, who +stumbled upon his feet like the other gentlemen, but +dared not for his life have approached her to open the door. +Mr Leeson felt that he had received his <i>congé</i>, as he sank +back into his chair. He was much too stunned to speculate +on the subject, or ask himself what was going to happen. +Whatever was going to happen, there was an end of <i>him</i>. +He had eaten the last All-Souls pudding that he ever +would have presented to him under <i>that</i> roof. He sank +back in the depth of despair upon his seat, and suffered +the claret to pass him in the agony of his feelings. Mr +Wentworth and Mrs Morgan were avenged.</p> + +<p>This was how it came to be noised abroad in Carlingford +that some great change of a highly favourable character +was about to occur in the circumstances and position of the +Curate of St Roque's. It was discussed next day throughout +the town, as soon as people had taken breath after +telling each other about Rosa Elsworthy, who had indisputably +been carried off from her uncle's house on the +previous night. When the Wentworth family were at +dinner, and just as the board was being spread in the +Rectory, where Mrs Morgan was half an hour later than +usual, having company, it had been discovered in Elsworthy's +that the prison was vacant, and the poor little +bird had flown. Mr Wentworth was aware of a tumult +about the shop when he went to the Miss Wodehouses, but +was preoccupied, and paid no attention; but Mr Leeson, +who was not preoccupied, had already heard all about it +when he entered the Rectory. That day it was all over the +town, as may be supposed. The poor, little, wicked, +unfortunate creature had disappeared, no one knew how, +at the moment, apparently, when Elsworthy went to the +railway for the evening papers, a time when the errand-boys +were generally rampant in the well-conducted shop. +Mrs Elsworthy, for her part, had seized that moment to +relieve her soul by confiding to Mrs Hayles next door how +she was worrited to death with one thing and another, and +did not expect to be alive to tell the tale if things went on +like this for another month, but that Elsworthy was infatuated +like, and wouldn't send the hussy away, his wife +complained to her sympathetic neighbour. When +Elsworthy came back, however, he was struck by the +silence in the house, and sent the reluctant woman up-stairs—"To +see if she's been and made away with herself, +I suppose," the indignant wife said, as she obeyed, +leaving Mrs Hayles full of curiosity on the steps of the +door. Mrs Elsworthy, however uttered a shriek a moment +after, and came down, with a frightened face, carrying a +large pin-cushion, upon which, skewered through and +through with the biggest pin she could find, Rosa had +deposited her letter of leave-taking. This important +document was read over in the shop by an ever-increasing +group, as the news got abroad—for Elsworthy, like his +wife, lost his head, and rushed about hither and thither, +asking wild questions as to who had seen her last. +Perhaps, at the bottom, he was not so desperate as he +looked, but was rather grateful than angry with Rosa for +solving the difficulty. This is what the poor little runaway +said:—<br /> +</p> + +<p>"<span class="smallcaps">Dear Uncle and Aunt</span>,—I write a line to let you know +that them as can do better for me than any belonging to +me has took me away for good. Don't make no reflections, +please, nor blame nobody; for I never could have done no +good nor had any 'appiness at Carlingford after all as has +happened. I don't bear no grudge, though aunt has been +so unkind; but I forgive her, and uncle also. My love to all +friends; and you may tell Bob Hayles as I won't forget +him, but will order all my physic regular at his father's +shop.—Your affectionate niece,</p> +<p class="right"> +"<span class="smallcaps">rosa</span>."</p> + +<p>"<i>P.S.</i>—Uncle has no occasion to mind, for them as has +took charge of me has promised to make a lady of me, as +he always said I was worthy of; and I leave all my things +for aunt's relations, as I can't wear such poor clothes in my +new station of life."<br /> +</p> + +<p>Such was the girl's letter, with its natural impertinences +and natural touch of kindness; and it made a great commotion +in the neighbourhood, where a few spasmodic +search-parties were made up with no real intentions, and +came to nothing, as was to be expected. It was a dreadful +thing to be sure, to happen to a respectable family; but +when things had gone so far, the neighbours, on the +whole, were inclined to believe it was the best thing Rosa +could have done; and the Elsworthys, husband and wife, +were concluded to be of the same opinion. When Carlingford +had exhausted this subject, and had duly discussed +the probabilities as to where she had gone, and whether +Rosa could be the lady in a veil who had been handed into +the express night-train by two gentlemen, of whom a +railway porter bore cautious testimony, the other mysterious +rumour about Mr Wentworth had its share of popular +attention. It was discussed in Masters's with a solemnity +becoming the occasion, everybody being convinced of the +fact, and nobody knowing how it was to be. One prevailing +idea was, that Mr Wentworth's brother, who had succeeded +to his mother's fortune (which was partly true, like +most popular versions of family history, his mother's +fortune being now Gerald's sole dependence), intended to +establish a great brotherhood, upon the Claydon model, in +Carlingford, of which the Perpetual Curate was to be the +head. This idea pleased the imagination of the town, +which already saw itself talked of in all the papers, and +anticipated with excitement the sight of English brothers +of St Benedict walking about in the streets, and people +from the 'Illustrated News' making drawings of Grange +Lane. To be sure, Gerald Wentworth had gone over to the +Church of Rome, which was a step too far to be compatible +with the English brotherhood; but popular imagination, +when puzzled and in a hurry, does not take time to +master all details. Then, again, opinion wavered, and it +was supposed to be the Miss Wentworths who were the +agents of the coming prosperity. They had made up their +mind to endow St Roque's and apply to the Ecclesiastical +Commissioners to have it erected into a parochial district, +rumour reported; and the senior assistant in Masters's, +who was suspected of Low-Church tendencies, was known +to be a supporter of this theory. Other ideas of a vague +character floated through the town, of which no one could +give any explanation; but Carlingford was unanimous in +the conviction that good fortune was coming somehow to +the popular favourite, who a week ago had occupied +temporarily the position of the popular <i>bête noire</i> and +impersonation of evil. "But the real sort always triumphs +at the last," was the verdict of Wharfside, which like +every primitive community, believed in poetic justice; +and among the bargemen and their wives much greater +elevation than that of a district church or the headship of a +brotherhood was expected "for the clergyman." If the +Queen had sent for him immediately, and conferred upon +him a bishopric, or at least appointed him her private +chaplain, such a favour would have excited no surprise in +Wharfside, where indeed the public mind was inclined to +the opinion that the real use of queens and other such +dignitaries was to find out and reward merit. Mr Wentworth +himself laughed when the gossip reached his ears. +"My people have given away all they had to give," he said +to somebody who had asked the question; "and I know no +prospect I have of being anything but a perpetual curate, +unless the Queen sends for me and appoints me to a +bishopric, as I understand is expected in Prickett's Lane. +If I come to any advancement," said the Curate of St +Roque's, "it must be in social estimation, and not in +worldly wealth, which is out of my way;" and he went +down to Wharfside rather cheerfully than otherwise, +having begun to experience that pertinacity carries the +day, and that it might be possible to goad Lucy into the +experiment of how much her housekeeping talents were +good for, and whether, with a good wife, even a Perpetual +Curate might be able to live without any particular bother +in respect to the grocer's bill. Mr Wentworth being at +present warmly engaged in this business of persuasion, +and as intent as ever on having his own way, was not much +affected by the Carlingford gossip. He went his way to +Wharfside all the same, where the service was conducted +as of old, and where all the humble uncertain voices were +buoyed up and carried on by the steady pure volume of +liquid sound which issued from Lucy Wodehouse's lips +into the utterance of such a 'Magnificat' as filled Mr Wentworth's +mind with exultation. It was the woman's part in +the worship—independent, yet in a sweet subordination; +and the two had come back—though with the difference +that their love was now avowed and certain, and they +were known to belong to each other—to much the same +state of feeling in which they were before the Miss Wentworths +came to Carlingford, or anything uncomfortable +had happened. They had learned various little lessons, to +be sure, in the interim, but experience had not done much +more for them than it does for ordinary human creatures, +and the chances are that Mr Wentworth would have +conducted himself exactly in the same manner another +time had he been placed in similar circumstances; for the +lessons of experience, however valuable, are sometimes +very slow of impressing themselves upon a generous and +hasty temperament, which has high ideas of honour and +consistency, and rather piques itself on a contempt for +self-interest and external advantages—which was the +weakness of the Curate of St Roque's. He returned to the +"great work" in Wharfside with undiminished belief in it, +and a sense of being able to serve his God and his fellow-creatures, +which, though it may seem strange to some +people, was a wonderful compensation to him for the +loss of Skelmersdale. "After all, I doubt very much +whether, under any circumstances, we could have left +such a work as is going on here," he said to Lucy as they +came up Prickett's Lane together, where the poor woman +had just died peaceably in No. 10, and got done with it, +poor soul; and the Sister of Mercy, in her grey cloak, lifted +towards him the blue eyes which were full of tears, and +answered with natural emphasis, "Impossible! it would +have been deserting our post," and drew a step closer to +him in the twilight with a sense of the sweetness of that +plural pronoun which mingled so with the higher sense +that it was impossible to disjoin them. And the two went +on under the influence of these combined sentiments, +taking comfort out of the very hardness of the world +around them, in which their ministrations were so much +needed, and feeling an exaltation in the "duty," which +was not for one, but for both, and a belief in the possibility +of mending matters, in which their love for each other +bore a large share; for it was not in human nature thus to +begin the ideal existence, without believing in its universal +extension, and in the amelioration of life and the +world.</p> + +<p>"That is all they think of," said poor Miss Wodehouse, +who, between her wondering inspection of the two "young +people" and her own moderate and sensible love-affairs, +and the directions which it was necessary to give to her +Rector about the furnishing of the new house, was more +constantly occupied than she had ever been in her life; +"but then, if they marry, what are they to live upon? and +if they don't marry—"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps something will turn up my dear," said old Mrs +Western, who had an idea that Providence was bound to +provide for two good young people who wanted to marry; +and thus the two ladies were forced to leave the matter, +where, indeed, the historian of events in Carlingford +would willingly leave it also, not having much faith in the +rewards of virtue which come convenient in such an +emergency. But it is only pure fiction which can keep true +to nature, and weave its narrative in analogy with +the ordinary course of life—whereas history demands +exactness in matters of <i>fact</i>, which are seldom true to +nature, or amenable to any general rule of existence.</p> + +<p>Before proceeding, however, to the narrative of the +unexpected advancement and promotion which awaited +the Perpetual Curate, it may be as well to notice that the +Miss Wentworths, who during the summer had kindly +given their house at Skelmersdale to some friends who had +returned in the spring from India, found themselves now +in a position to return to their own proper dwelling-place, +and made preparations accordingly for leaving Carlingford, +in which, indeed, they had no further occupation; +for, to be sure, except to the extent of that respect which a +man owes to his aunts, they had no special claim upon +Frank Wentworth, or right to supervise his actions, save +on account of Skelmersdale, which was now fully disposed +of and given away. It cannot be said that Miss Leonora +had ever fully recovered from the remarkable indisposition +which her nephew Jack's final address had brought upon +her. The very next morning she fulfilled her pledges as a +woman of honour, and bestowed Skelmersdale positively +and finally upon Julia Trench's curate, who indeed made +a creditable enough rector in his way; but after she had +accomplished this act, Miss Leonora relapsed into one +unceasing watch upon her nephew Frank, which was far +from dispelling the tendency to headache which she showed +at this period for the first and only time in her life. She +watched him with a certain feeling of expiation, as she +might have resorted to self-flagellation had she lived a few +hundred years before, and perhaps suffered more acute +pangs in that act of discipline than could be inflicted by +any physical scourge. The longer she studied the matter +the more thoroughly was Miss Leonora convinced not only +that the Perpetual Curate was bent on doing his duty, but +that he <i>did</i> it with all the force of high faculties, and a +mind much more thoroughly trained, and of finer material +than was possessed by the man whom she had made rector +of Skelmersdale. The strong-minded woman bore quietly, +with a kind of defiance, the sharp wounds with which her +self-esteem was pierced by this sight. She followed up her +discovery, and made herself more and more certain of the +mistake she had made, not sparing herself any part of her +punishment. As she pursued her investigations, too, Miss +Leonora became increasingly sensible that it was not his +mother's family whom he resembled, as she had once +thought, but that he was out and out a Wentworth, possessed +of all the family features; and this was the man +whom by her own act she had disinherited of his natural +share in the patronage of the family, substituting for her +own flesh and blood an individual for whom, to tell the +truth, she had little respect! Perhaps if she had been able +to sustain herself with the thought that it was entirely a +question of "principle," the retrospect might not have +been so hard upon Miss Leonora; but being a woman of +very distinct and uncompromising vision, she could not +conceal from herself either Julia Trench's cleverness or +her own mixed and doubtful motives. Having this sense of +wrong and injustice, and general failure of the duty of +kindred towards Frank, it might have been supposed a +little comfort to Miss Leonora to perceive that he had +entirely recovered from his disappointment, and was no +longer in her power, if indeed he had ever been so. But +the fact was, that if anything could have aggravated her +personal smart, it would have been the fact of Frank's +indifference and cheerfulness, and evident capability of +contenting himself with his duty and his favourite district, +and his Lucy—whom, to be sure, he could not marry, +being only a perpetual curate. The spectacle came to have +a certain fascination for Miss Wentworth. She kept +watching him with a grim satisfaction, punishing herself, +and at the same time comforting herself with the idea that, +light as he made of it, he must be suffering too. She could +not bear to think that he had escaped clean out of her +hands, and that the decision she had come to, which +produced so much pain to herself, was innoxious to Frank; +and at the same time, though she could not tolerate his +composure, and would have preferred to see him angry +and revengeful, his evident recovery of spirits and general +exhilaration increased Miss Leonora's respect for the man +she had wronged. In this condition of mind the strong-minded +aunt lingered over her preparations for removal, +scorning much the rumour in Carlingford about her +nephew's advancement, and feeling that she could never +forgive him if by any chance promotion should come to +him after all. "He will stay where he is. He will be a +perpetual curate," Miss Leonora said, uttering what was +in reality a hope under the shape of a taunt; and things +were still in this position when Grange Lane in general +and Miss Dora in particular (from the window of the +summer-house) were startled much by the sight of the +Rector, in terribly correct clerical costume, as if he were +going to dine with the bishop, who walked slowly down the +road like a man charged with a mission, and, knocking at +Mrs Hadwin's door, was admitted immediately to a private +conference with the Curate of St Roque's.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XLVIII" id="CHAPTER_XLVIII"></a>CHAPTER XLVIII.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">It</span> was the same afternoon that Mr Wentworth failed to +attend, as he had never been known to fail before, at the +afternoon's school which he had set up in Prickett's Lane +for the young bargemen, who between the intervals of +their voyages had a little leisure at that hour of the day. It +is true there was a master provided, and the presence of +the Perpetual Curate was not indispensable; but the lads, +among whom, indeed, there were some men, were so +much used to his presence as to get restless at their work +on this unprecedented emergency. The master knew no +other resource than to send for Miss Lucy Wodehouse, +who was known to be on the other side of Prickett's Lane +at the moment, superintending a similar educational +undertaking for the benefit of the girls. It was, as may be +supposed, embarrassing to Lucy to be called upon to +render an account of Mr Wentworth's absence, and invited +to take his place in this public and open manner; but +then the conventional reticences were unknown in Wharfside, +and nobody thought it necessary to conceal his +certainty that the Curate's movements were better known +to Lucy than to anybody else. She had to make answer +with as much composure as possible in the full gaze of so +many pairs of curious eyes, that she did not know why Mr +Wentworth was absent—"Somebody is sick, perhaps," +said Lucy, repeating an excuse which had been made +before for the Perpetual Curate; "but I hope it does not +make any difference," she went on, turning round upon +all the upturned heads which were neglecting their work +to stare at her. "Mr Wentworth would be grieved to think +that his absence did his scholars any injury." Lucy looked +one of the ringleaders in the eyes as she spoke, and +brought him to his senses—all the more effectually, to be +sure, because she knew all about him, and was a familiar +figure to the boy, suggesting various little comforts, for +which, in Prickett's Lane, people were not ungrateful. But +when she went back again to her girls, the young lady +found herself in a state of excitement which was half +annoyance and half a kind of shy pleasure. To be sure, it +was quite true that they did belong to each other; but at +the same time, so long as she was Lucy Wodehouse, she +had no right to be called upon to represent "the clergyman," +even in "the district" which was so important to both. And +then it occurred to her to remember that if she remained +Lucy Wodehouse that was not the Curate's fault—from +which thought she went on to reflect that going away with +Mr and Mrs Proctor when they were married was not a +charming prospect, not to say that it involved a renunciation +of the district for the present at least, and possibly +for ever; for if Mr Wentworth could not marry as long as +he was a perpetual curate, it followed of necessity that he +could not marry until he had left Carlingford—an idea +which Lucy turned over in her mind very seriously as she +walked home, for this once unattended. A new light +seemed to be thrown upon the whole matter by this +thought. To consent to be married simply for her own +happiness, to the disadvantage in any respect of her +husband, was an idea odious to this young woman, who, +like most young women, preferred to represent even to +herself that it was for <i>his</i> happiness that she permitted +herself to be persuaded to marry; but if duty were involved, +that was quite another affair. It was quite evident to +Lucy, as she walked towards Grange Lane, that the +Curate would not be able to find any one to take her place +in the district; perhaps also—for she was honest even in +her self-delusions—Lucy was aware that she might herself +have objections to the finding of a substitute; and what +then? Was the great work to be interrupted because she +could not bear the idea of possibly diminishing some of his +external comforts by allowing him to have his way, and to +be what he considered happy? Such was the wonderful +length to which her thoughts had come when she reached +the garden-door, from which Mr Wentworth himself, +flushed and eager, came hastily out as she approached. So +far from explaining his unaccountable absence, or even +greeting her with ordinary politeness, the young man +seized her by the arm and brought her into the garden +with a rapidity which made her giddy. "What is it—what +do you mean?" Lucy cried with amazement as she found +herself whirled through the sunshine and half carried up +the stairs. Mr Wentworth made no answer until he had +deposited her breathless in her own chair, in her own +corner, and then got down on his knee beside her, as men +in his crazy circumstances are not unapt to do.</p> + +<p>"Lucy, look here. I was a perpetual curate the other +day when you said you would have me," said the energetic +lover, who was certainly out of his wits, and did not +know what he was saying—"and you said you did not +mind?"</p> + +<p>"I said it did not matter," said Lucy, who was slightly +piqued that he did not recollect exactly the form of so +important a decision. "I knew well enough you were a +perpetual curate. Has anything happened, or are you +going out of your mind?"</p> + +<p>"I think it must be that," said Mr Wentworth. "Something +so extraordinary has happened that I cannot believe +it. Was I in Prickett's Lane this afternoon as usual, or was +I at home in my own room talking to the Rector—or have +I fallen asleep somewhere, and is the whole thing a +dream?"</p> + +<p>"You were certainly not in Prickett's Lane," said Lucy. +"I see what it is. Miss Leonora Wentworth has changed +her mind, and you are going to have Skelmersdale after +all. I did not think you could have made up your mind to +leave the district. It is not news that gives me any pleasure," +said the Sister of Mercy, as she loosed slowly off from her +shoulders the grey cloak which was the uniform of the +district. Her own thoughts had been so different that she +felt intensely mortified to think of the unnecessary decision +she had been so near making, and disappointed that +the offer of a living could have moved her lover to such a +pitch of pleasure. "All men are alike, it seems," she said to +herself, with a little quiver in her lip—a mode of forestalling +his communications which filled the Perpetual +Curate with amazement and dismay.</p> + +<p>"What are you thinking of?" he said. "Miss Leonora +Wentworth has not changed her mind. That would have +been a natural accident enough, but this is incredible. If +you like, Lucy," he added, with an unsteady laugh, "and +will consent to my original proposition, you may marry on +the 15th, not the Perpetual Curate of St Roque's, but the +Rector of Carlingford. Don't look at me with such an +unbelieving countenance. It is quite true."</p> + +<p>"I wonder how you can talk so," cried Lucy, indignantly; +"it is all a made-up story; you know it is. I don't like +practical jokes," she went on, trembling a little, and +taking another furtive look at him—for somehow it was too +wonderful not to be true.</p> + +<p>"If I had been making up a story, I should have kept to +what was likely," said Mr Wentworth. "The Rector has +been with me all the afternoon—he says he has been offered +his father's rectory, where he was brought up, and that he +has made up his mind to accept it, as he always was fond +of the country;—and that he has recommended me to his +College for the living of Carlingford."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said Lucy, impatiently, "that is very good +of Mr Morgan; but you know you are not a member of the +College, and why should you have the living? I knew it +could not be true."</p> + +<p>"They are all a set of old— Dons," said the Perpetual +Curate; "that is, they are the most accomplished set of +fellows in existence, Lucy—or at least they ought to be—but +they are too superior to take an ordinary living, and +condescend to ordinary existence. Here has Carlingford +been twice vacant within a year—which is an unprecedented +event—and Buller, the only man who would think +of it, is hanging on for a colonial bishopric, where he can +publish his book at his leisure. Buller is a great friend of +Gerald's. It is incredible, <i>Lucia mia</i>, but it is true."</p> + +<p>"Is it true? are you <i>sure</i> it is true?" cried Lucy; and in +spite of herself she broke down and gave way, and let her +head rest on the first convenient support it found, which +turned out, naturally enough, to be Mr Wentworth's +shoulder, and cried as if her heart was breaking. It is so +seldom in this world that things come just when they are +wanted; and this was not only an acceptable benefice, but +implied the entire possession of the "district" and the most +conclusive vindication of the Curate's honour. Lucy cried +out of pride and happiness and glory in him. She said to +herself, as Mrs Morgan had done at the beginning of her +incumbency, "He will be such a Rector as Carlingford has +never seen." Yet at the same time, apart from her glorying +and her pride, a certain sense of pain, exquisite though +shortlived, found expression in Lucy's tears. She had just +been making up her mind to accept a share of his lowliness, +and to show the world that even a Perpetual Curate, +when his wife was equal to her position, might be poor +without feeling any of the degradations of poverty; and +now she was forestalled, and had nothing to do but accept +his competence, which it would be no credit to manage +well! Such were the thoughts to which she was reduced, +though she had come home from Prickett's Lane persuading +herself that it was duty only, and the wants of the +district, which moved her. Lucy cried, although not much +given to crying, chiefly because it was the only method she +could find of giving expression to the feelings which were +too varied and too complicated for words.</p> + +<p>All Carlingford knew the truth about Mr Wentworth's +advancement that evening, and on the next day, which +was Sunday, the Church of St Roque's was as full as if the +plague had broken out in Carlingford, and the population +had rushed out, as they might have done in medieval +times, to implore the succour of the physician-saint. The +first indication of the unusual throng was conveyed to Mr +Wentworth in his little vestry after the choristers had filed +into the church in their white surplices, about which, to +tell the truth, the Perpetual Curate was less interested +than he had once been. Elsworthy, who had been humbly +assisting the young priest to robe himself, ventured to +break the silence when they were alone.</p> + +<p>"The church is very full, sir," said Elsworthy; "there's a +deal of people come, sir, after hearing the news. I don't +say I've always been as good a servant as I ought to have +been; but it was all through being led away, and not +knowing no better, and putting my trust where I shouldn't +have put it. I've had a hard lesson, sir, and I've learnt +better," he continued, with a sidelong glance at the +Curate's face; "it was all a mistake."</p> + +<p>"I was not finding fault with you, that I am aware of," +said Mr Wentworth, with a little surprise.</p> + +<p>"No, sir," said Elsworthy, "I am aware as you wasn't +finding no fault; but there's looks as speaks as strong as +words, and I can feel as you haven't the confidence in me +as you once had. I aint ashamed to say it, sir," continued +the clerk of St Roque's. "I'm one as trusted in that girl's +innocent looks, and didn't believe as she could do no +harm. She's led me into ill-feeling with my clergyman, sir, +and done me a deal o' damage in my trade, and now she's +gone off without as much as saying 'Thank you for your +kindness.' It's a hard blow upon a man as was fond of her, +and I didn't make no difference, no more than if she had +been my own child."</p> + +<p>"Well, well," said the Curate, "I daresay it was a trial to +you; but you can't expect me to take much interest in it +after all that has passed. Let bygones be bygones," said +Mr Wentworth, with a smile, "as indeed you once +proposed."</p> + +<p>"Ah! sir, that was my mistake," sighed the penitent. "I +would have 'umbled myself more becoming, if I had +known all as I know now. You're a-going off to leave St +Roque's, where we've all been so happy," said Mr Elsworthy, +in pathetic tones. "I don't know as I ever was as +'appy, sir, as here, a-listening to them beautiful sermons, +and a-giving my best attention to see as the responses was +well spoke out, and things done proper. Afore our troubles +began, sir, I don't know as I had a wish in the world, +unless it was to see an 'andsome painted window in the +chancel, which is all as is wanted to make the church +perfect; and now you're a-going to leave, and nobody +knows what kind of a gentleman may be sent. If you +wouldn't think I was making too bold," said Elsworthy, "it +aint my opinion as you'll ever put up with poor old Norris +as is in the church. Men like Mr Morgan and Mr +Proctor as had no cultivation doesn't mind; but for a +gentleman as goes through the service as you does it, Mr +Wentworth—"</p> + +<p>Mr Wentworth laughed, though he was fully robed and +ready for the reading-desk, and knew that his congregation +was waiting. He held his watch in his hand, though it +already marked the half minute after eleven. "So you +would like to be clerk in the parish church?" he said, with +what seemed a quite unnecessary amount of amusement +to the anxious functionary by his side.</p> + +<p>"I think as you could never put up with old Norris, sir," +said Elsworthy; "as for leading of the responses, there aint +such a thing done in Carlingford Church. I don't speak for +myself," said the public-spirited clerk, "but it aint a right +thing for the rising generation; and it aint everybody as +would get into your way in a minute—for you have a way +of your own, sir, in most things, and if you'll excuse me +for saying of it, you're very particular. It aint every man, +sir, as could carry on clear through the service along of +you, Mr Wentworth; and you wouldn't put up with old +Norris, not for a day."</p> + +<p>Such was the conversation which opened this memorable +Sunday to Mr Wentworth. Opposite to him, again +occupying the seat where his wife should have been, had +he possessed one, were the three Miss Wentworths, his +respected aunts, to whose opinion, however, the Curate +did not feel himself bound to defer very greatly in present +circumstances; and a large and curious congregation +ranged behind them, almost as much concerned to see +how Mr Wentworth would conduct himself in this moment +of triumph, as they had been in the moment of his humiliation. +It is, however, needless to inform the friends of the +Perpetual Curate that the anxious community gained very +little by their curiosity. It was not the custom of the young +Anglican to carry his personal feelings, either of one kind +or another, into the pulpit with him, much less into the +reading-desk, where he was the interpreter not of his own +sentiments or emotions, but of common prayer and universal +worship. Mr Wentworth did not even throw a little +additional warmth into his utterance of the general +thanksgiving, as he might have done had he been a more +effusive man; but, on the contrary, read it with a more +than ordinary calmness, and preached to the excited +people one of those terse little unimpassioned sermons of +his, from which it was utterly impossible to divine whether +he was in the depths of despair or at the summit and crown +of happiness. People who had been used to discover a +great many of old Mr Bury's personal peculiarities in his +sermons, and who, of recent days, had found many allusions +which it was easy to interpret in the discourses of Mr +Morgan, retired altogether baffled from the clear and +succinct brevity of the Curate of St Roque's. He was that +day in particular so terse as to be almost epigrammatic, +not using a word more than was necessary, and displaying +that power of saying a great deal more than at the first +moment he appeared to say, in which Mr Wentworth's +admirers specially prided themselves. Perhaps a momentary +human gratification in the consciousness of having +utterly baffled curiosity, passed through the Curate's +mind as he took off his robes when the service was over; +but he was by no means prepared for the ordeal which +awaited him when he stepped forth from the pretty porch +of St Roque's. There his three aunts were awaiting him, +eager to hear all about it, Miss Dora, for the first time in +her life, holding the principal place. "We are going away +to-morrow, Frank, and of course you are coming to lunch +with us," said aunt Dora, clinging to his arm. "Oh, my +dear boy, I am so happy, and so ashamed, to hear of it. To +think you should be provided for, and nobody belonging +to you have anything to do with it! I don't know what to +say," said Miss Dora, who was half crying as usual; "and +as for Leonora, one is frightened to speak to her. Oh, I +wish you would say something to your aunt Leonora, +Frank. I don't know whether she is angry with us or with +you or with herself, or what it is; or if it is an attack on the +nerves—though I never imagined she had any nerves; +but, indeed, whatever my brother may say, it looks very +like—dreadfully like—the coming-on of the Wentworth +complaint. Poor papa was just like that when he used to +have it coming on; and Leonora is not just—altogether—what +you would call a female, Frank. Oh, my dear boy, if +you would only speak to her!" cried Miss Dora, who was a +great deal too much in earnest to perceive anything comical +in what she had said.</p> + +<p>"I should think it must be an attack on the temper," +said the Curate, who, now that it was all over, felt that it +was but just his aunt Leonora should suffer a little for her +treatment of him. "Perhaps some of her favourite colporteurs +have fallen back into evil ways. There was one who +had been a terrible blackguard, I remember. It is something +that has happened among her mission people, you +may be sure, and nothing about me."</p> + +<p>"You don't know Leonora, Frank. She is very fond of +you, though she does not show it," said Miss Dora, as she +led her victim in triumphantly through the garden-door, +from which the reluctant young man could see Lucy and +her sister in their black dresses just arriving at the other +green door from the parish church, where they had occupied +their usual places, according to the ideas of propriety +which were common to both the Miss Wodehouses. Mr +Wentworth had to content himself with taking off his hat +to them, and followed his aunts to the table, where Miss +Leonora took her seat much with the air of a judge about +to deliver a sentence. She did not restrain herself even in +the consideration of the presence of Lewis the butler, who, +to be sure, had been long enough in the Wentworth family +to know as much about its concerns as the members of the +house themselves, or perhaps a little more. Miss Leonora +sat down grim and formidable in her bonnet, which was in +the style of a remote period, and did not soften the +severity of her personal appearance. She pointed her +nephew to a seat beside her, but she did not relax her +features, nor condescend to any ordinary preliminaries of +conversation. For that day even she took Lewis's business +out of his astonished hands, and herself divided the +chicken with a swift and steady knife and anatomical +precision; and it was while occupied in this congenial +business that she broke forth upon Frank in a manner so +unexpected as almost to take away his breath.</p> + +<p>"I suppose this is what fools call poetic justice," said +Miss Leonora, "which is just of a piece with everything +else that is poetical—weak folly and nonsense that no +sensible man would have anything to say to. How a young +man like you, who know how to conduct yourself in some +things, and have, I don't deny, many good qualities, can +give in to come to an ending like a trashy novel, is more +than I can understand. You are fit to be put in a book of +the Good-child series, Frank, as an illustration of +the reward of virtue," said the strong-minded woman, +with a little snort of scorn; "and, of course, you are +going to marry, and live happy ever after, like a fairy +tale."</p> + +<p>"It is possible I may be guilty of that additional +enormity," said the Curate, "which, at all events, will not +be your doing, my dear aunt, if I might suggest a consolation. +You cannot help such things happening, but, at +least, it should be a comfort to feel you have done nothing +to bring them about."</p> + +<p>To which Miss Leonora answered by another hard +breath of mingled disdain and resentment. "Whatever I +have brought about, I have tried to do what I thought my +duty," she said. "It has always seemed to me a very poor +sort of virtue that expects a reward for doing what it ought +to do. I don't say you haven't behaved very well in this +business, but you've done nothing extraordinary; and why +I should have rushed out of my way to reward you for it—Oh, +yes, I know you did not expect anything," said Miss +Leonora; "you have told me as much on various occasions, +Frank. You have, of course, always been perfectly independent, +and scorned to flatter your old aunts by any +deference to their convictions; and, to be sure, it is nothing +to you any little pang they may feel at having to dispose +otherwise of a living that has always been in the family. +You are of the latest fashion of Anglicanism, and we are +only a parcel of old women. It was not to be expected that +our antiquated ideas could be worth as much to you as a +parcel of flowers and trumpery—"</p> + +<p>These were actually tears which glittered in Miss +Leonora's eyes of fiery hazel grey—tears of very diminutive +size, totally unlike the big dewdrops which rained +from Miss Dora's placid orbs and made them red, but did +<i>her</i> no harm—but still a real moisture, forced out of a +fountain which lay very deep down and inaccessible to +ordinary efforts. They made her eyes look rather fiercer +than otherwise for the moment; but they all but impeded +Miss Leonora's speech, and struck with the wildest consternation +the entire party at the table, including even +Lewis, who stood transfixed in the act of drawing a bottle +of soda-water, and, letting the cork escape him in his +amazement, brought affairs to an unlooked-for climax by +hitting Miss Wentworth, who had been looking on with +interest without taking any part in the proceedings. When +the fright caused by this unintentional shot had subsided, +Miss Leonora was found to have entirely recovered herself; +but not so the Perpetual Curate, who had changed colour +wonderfully, and no longer met his accuser with reciprocal +disdain.</p> + +<p>"My dear aunt," said Frank Wentworth, "I wish you +would not go back to that. I suppose we parsons are apt +sometimes to exaggerate trifles into importance, as my +father says. But, however, as things have turned out, I +could not have left Carlingford," the Curate added, in a +tone of conciliation; "and now, when good fortune has +come to me unsought—"</p> + +<p>Miss Leonora finished her portion of chicken in one +energetic gulp, and got up from the table. "Poetic justice!" +she said, with a furious sneer. "I don't believe in that kind +of rubbish. As long as you were getting on quietly with +your work I felt disposed to be rather proud of you, +Frank. But I don't approve of a man ending off neatly like +a novel in this sort of ridiculous way. When you succeed to +the Rectory I suppose you will begin fighting, like the +other man, with the new curate, for working in your +parish?"</p> + +<p>"When I succeed to the Rectory," said Mr Wentworth, +getting up in his turn from the table, "I give you my word, +aunt Leonora, no man shall work in <i>my</i> parish unless I set +him to do it. Now I must be off to my work. I don't +suppose Carlingford Rectory will be the end of me," the +Perpetual Curate added, as he went away, with a smile +which his aunts could not interpret. As for Miss Leonora, +she tied her bonnet-strings very tight, and went off to the +afternoon service at Salem Chapel by way of expressing +her sentiments more forcibly. "I daresay he's bold enough +to take a bishopric," she said to herself; "but fortunately +we've got <i>that</i> in our own hands as long as Lord Shaftesbury +lives;" and Miss Leonora smiled grimly over the +prerogatives of her party. But though she went to the +Salem Chapel that afternoon, and consoled herself that +she could secure the bench of bishops from any audacious +invasion of Frank Wentworth's hopes, it is true, notwithstanding, +that Miss Leonora sent her maid next morning to +London with certain obsolete ornaments, of which, though +the fashion was hideous, the jewels were precious; and +Lucy Wodehouse had never seen anything so brilliant as +the appearance they presented when they returned shortly +after reposing upon beds of white satin in cases of velvet—"Ridiculous +things," as Miss Leonora informed her, "for a +parson's wife."</p> + +<p>It was some time after this—for, not to speak of +ecclesiastical matters, a removal, even when the furniture +is left behind and there are only books, and rare ferns, and +old china, to convey from one house to another, is a matter +which involves delays—when Mr Wentworth went to the +railway station with Mrs Morgan to see her off finally, her +husband having gone to London with the intention of +joining her in the new house. Naturally, it was not without +serious thoughts that the Rector's wife left the place in +which she had made the first beginning of her active life, +not so successfully as she had hoped. She could not help +recalling, as she went along the familiar road, the hopes so +vivid as to be almost certainties with which she had come +into Carlingford. The long waiting was then over, and the +much-respected era had arrived and existence had seemed +to be opening in all its fulness and strength before the +two who had looked forward to it so long. It was not much +more than six months ago; but Mrs Morgan had made a +great many discoveries in the mean time. She had found +out the wonderful difference between anticipation and +reality; and that life, even to a happy woman married +after long patience to the man of her choice, was not the +smooth road it looked, but a rough path enough cut into +dangerous ruts, through which generations of men and +women followed each other without ever being able to +mend the way. She was not so sure as she used to be of a +great many important matters which it is a wonderful +consolation to be certain of—but, notwithstanding, had to +go on as if she had no doubts, though the clouds of a +defeat, in which, certainly, no honour, though a good deal +of the <i>prestige</i> of inexperience had been lost, were still +looming behind. She gave a little sigh as she shook Mr +Wentworth's hand at parting. "A great many things have +happened in six months," she said—"one never could have +anticipated so many changes in what looks so short a period +of one's life"—and as the train which she had watched so +often rushed past that new bit of wall on which the +Virginian creeper was beginning to grow luxuriantly, which +screened the railway from the Rectory windows, there +were tears in Mrs Morgan's eyes. Only six months and so +much had happened!—what might not happen in all those +months, in all those years of life which scarcely looked so +hopeful as of old? She preferred turning her back upon +Carlingford, though it was the least comfortable side of the +carriage, and put down her veil to shield her eyes from the +dust, or perhaps from the inspection of her fellow-travellers: +and once more the familiar thought returned to +her of what a different woman she would have been had she +come to her first experiences of life with the courage and +confidence of twenty or even of five-and-twenty, which was +the age Mrs Morgan dwelt upon most kindly. And then she +thought with a thrill of vivid kindness and a touch of tender +envy of Lucy Wodehouse, who would now have no possible +occasion to wait those ten years.</p> + +<p>As for Mr Wentworth, he who was a priest, and knew +more about Carlingford than any other man in the place, +could not help thinking, as he turned back, of people +there, to whom these six months had produced alterations +far more terrible than any that had befallen the Rector's +wife:—people from whom the light of life had died out, +and to whom all the world was changed. He knew of men +who had been cheerful enough when Mr Morgan came to +Carlingford, who now did not care what became of them; +and of women who would be glad to lay down their heads +and hide them from the mocking light of day. He knew it, +and it touched his heart with the tenderest pity of life, the +compassion of happiness; and he knew too that the path +upon which he was about to set out led through the same +glooms, and was no ideal career. But perhaps because Mr +Wentworth was young—perhaps because he was possessed +by that delicate sprite more dainty than any Ariel who +puts rosy girdles round the world while his time of triumph +lasts—it is certain that the new Rector of Carlingford +turned back into Grange Lane without the least shadow +upon his mind or timidity in his thoughts. He was now in +his own domains, an independent monarch, as little +inclined to divide his power as any autocrat; and Mr +Wentworth came into his kingdom without any doubts of +his success in it, or of his capability for its government. He +had first a little journey to make to bring back Lucy from +that temporary and reluctant separation from the district +which propriety had made needful; but, in the mean time, +Mr Wentworth trode with firm foot the streets of his +parish, secure that no parson nor priest should tithe or toll +in his dominions, and a great deal more sure than even Mr +Morgan had been, that henceforth no unauthorised evangelisation +should take place in any portion of his territory. +This sentiment, perhaps, was the principal difference +perceptible by the community in general between the new +Rector of Carlingford and the late Perpetual Curate of St +Roque's.</p> + +<hr class="narrow" /> + +<h3>Footnotes</h3> + +<p class="noindent"><a name="Fn1" id="Fn1"></a><a href="#Fn1r">[1]</a> +She was the daughter of old Sir Jasper Shelton, a poor family, but very +respectable, and connected with the Westerns.</p> + +<hr class="narrow" /> + +<table border="0" style="background-color: #E6E6FA; margin: 0 auto" cellpadding="10" summary="Amendments"> + +<tr> +<td colspan="2"> + <div class="center">TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE</div> + +<p class="noindent" style="background-color: #E6E6FA">Contemporary spellings have been retained even +when inconsistent. A small number of obvious typographical errors have been +corrected and missing punctuation has been silently added.<br /> +<br /> +The following additional changes have been made; they can be identified +in the body of the text by a grey dotted underline:</p> +</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td align="left" valign="top">news with which her heart was beating were</td> + <td align="left" valign="top">news with which her heart was beating was</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td align="left" valign="top">neither here not there</td> + <td align="left" valign="top">neither here nor there</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td align="left" valign="top">the trouble which has overtaken his brother</td> + <td align="left" valign="top">the trouble which had overtaken his brother</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td align="left" valign="top">wiled the night away</td> + <td align="left" valign="top">whiled the night away</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td align="left" valign="top">his handkerchief to this eyes</td> + <td align="left" valign="top">his handkerchief to his eyes</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td align="left" valign="top">Notwithstanding, that fact is, that</td> + <td align="left" valign="top">Notwithstanding, the fact is, that</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td align="left" valign="top">than ever come out of mortal loom</td> + <td align="left" valign="top">than ever came out of mortal loom</td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td align="left" valign="top">keep on Thompson; (…) for Thomson…</td> + <td align="left" valign="top">keep on Thompson; (…) for Thompson…</td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Perpetual Curate, by Mrs [Margaret] Oliphant + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PERPETUAL CURATE *** + +***** This file should be named 28006-h.htm or 28006-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/0/0/28006/ + +Produced by Delphine Lettau and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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